


Unwillingly Willing

by urdnotshepard



Category: Drarry - Fandom, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Cursed First Time, First Time, Fluff and Angst, Hogwarts Eighth Year, M/M, More Tags Later As I Decide Them, Mpreg, Mpreg Harry, Not Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Compliant, Severus Snape Lives, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, mentions of rape/non-con
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-20
Updated: 2019-03-20
Packaged: 2019-04-04 22:20:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 30
Words: 51,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14030055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/urdnotshepard/pseuds/urdnotshepard
Summary: It’s 8th year at Hogwarts and, while most of the students who have returned just want to get on with their lives, not everyone who has returned has such altruistic motivations.  Harry is hit with an arousal curse by a group of those who are less pleased with the Savior of the Wizarding World and who think it would be a fitting punishment for the Boy Who Lived to abuse him in the worst possible way while he’s unable to do more than beg for it.  Harry is saved by an unlikely source, however, when Draco comes across the group and stops his former friends…The problem is, neither of them know a counter-curse…





	1. Chapter 1

~*~*~Chapter 1 ~*~*~

 

Draco knew that it was a mistake to have come back to Hogwarts.  He was among only a small group of his fellow Slytherins from his former class who had either wanted to return… or been allowed.  Many of them had fought on the losing side during the war and so weren’t welcome.

 

He had definitely been on the wrong side, but McGonnagal had personally come to the Manor to invite him to return.  She’d stood up for him at his trial…

 

She and Potter…

 

He shoved a hand back through his white-blonde hair and cursed as he pulled his book-bag a little higher onto his shoulder and continued on toward the dungeons and his potions lesson.  He’d thanked McGonnagal when she’d come to offer his return to school but then he’d fully intended to ignore it and return to his hiding (and there was no other word for it) in the Manor, only planning emerge when the world had stopped flashing pictures of a certain Savior at every turn.  Hell, he’d even considered the horror of leaving England for some backwards place like America just to be completely away from it.

 

But then his Mother had stepped in.  She’d begged him to return to school.  She’d cited all of the various hopes and dreams that she’d had for him.  She’d told him that he had a responsibility as a Malfoy to complete his education and make something of himself.  She’d even cried.

 

His mother was more manipulative than any creature he’d ever known… except she did it out of love, which made it ten-times-worse.

 

Sighing to himself, Draco turned and started down the corridor toward a class that he knew was going to be complete torture, when he was stopped in his tracks at the sound of a struggle and an all-too-familiar voice shouting out right before a door slammed shut. 

 

~Ignore it Malfoy.  Ignore it because it’s not your bloody business and you have more important things to do and you shouldn’t get involved and-~

 

His feet apparently operated independently of his internal, very _logical_ thoughts, however, because he was already heading to the door, wand out.  He didn’t hear anything but any idiot planning to attack someone would know to put up a silencing charm.  He tried the handle but found that the door had also been locked.  A quick alohomora and he was inside…

 

He hadn’t even known that it was possible for someone’s blood to run cold while simultaneously burning with rage, but apparently it was…

 

Nott, Zabini and Bulstrode had hold of the Savior of the Wizarding World and had him shoved against a wall.  Nott was grinning maliciously and had his wand under the other man’s chin while Zabini caressed his hand along Potter’s cheek in an almost-gentle way, though the expression on the handsome Wizard’s face was anything but kind.  And Bulstrode was caressing her hands along his chest in a way that sent shivers down Draco’s back, her eyes absolutely filled with hatred and bloodlust.

 

Hearing the door open, Zabini turned his head, lifting his wand in preparation for an attack.  At the sight of Draco, however, he smirked and said, “Well well well… and here I thought anyone who pushed their way through that door would be one of Potter’s loyal followers.”  He turned back to Harry and nuzzled his cheek almost affectionately as he said, “But instead, we get the Ice Prince of Slytherin, come to get a little revenge for dear-old-daddy.”

 

Nott laughed and leaned forward to bite at Harry’s neck, though not in a way to draw blood or hurt him.  In fact, it was almost a lover-like nibble.  “Well, maybe not _just_ for dear-old-daddy hmm?”  He turned his head to look at Draco while he ran his free hand down Harry’s chest and stomach, purring, “After all, we all know how much you’d _love_ to have this one on his knees for you, right there Dracy?”  He laughed harshly and slid his hand down to Harry’s cock, squeezing through his trousers and causing the other man to gasp and… what the hell… moan?  “Mmm… well you’ll never find him more ah…” Nott looked at his cohorts and grinned, “interested.”  He smirked and looked back at Draco, “ _Begging_ for it in fact, aren’t you Potter?”

 

Mouth hanging open like a fish out of water, Draco simply stood there and gaped.  He didn’t _mean_ to play guppy, he just… _why_ wasn’t Potter fighting back?  Sure he was struggling a little, moving around, but he wasn’t actually fighting them.  In fact he looked-

 

Draco felt his blood run cold as he said breathlessly, “W-what did you do to him?”

 

Bulstrode grinned and glanced back at him with a vicious look in her too-small-eyes, smirking as she said, “Oh don’t worry Draco, he’ll enjoy every _minute_ of what we’re about to do to him.”  She shifted forward to rub her hips against Harry, yanking his shirt open and running her tongue along his chest in a way that had Draco’s skin crawling in sympathy.  “Mmm… won’t you Potter?”

 

Draco watched as Harry closed those far-too-green eyes and gave his head a hard shake before he began to struggle against the men holding him, bringing a knee up to slam into Millicent’s stomach and sending her reeling backward.  “Get off me,” he finally said, though not in the snarling shout that Draco would have expected, “Get off!”  In fact, his attempts to remove his attackers were weak at best and his movements sluggish.   His eyes slid back open and locked onto Draco and there was something in them…

 

And Draco had finally seen enough.  He lifted the wand that had fallen to his side in his shock and from one second to the next, he was doing what no sane Slytherin with an ounce of self-preservation would do.  He was hitting his former friends with hexes, knocking them back off of Potter, and rushing forward to grab the other man around the waist before yanking him out of the room.

 

Draco tried to figure out what the hell to do now that he’d done this because obviously there was something wrong with the Boy Who Lived and he needed to get help… not to mention he needed to find somewhere to hide before his former-cohorts ripped him apart.  He thought about trying to take him to the potions classroom but before he could turn in that direction, the door he’d slammed behind him was bursting open and Nott was rushing out.  He cursed and fired a hex over his shoulder before hissing, “Come on Potter!” and racing down the corridor and away from their pursuers. 

 

Running without a specific destination in mind, Draco kept going, clinging to Potter who was half draped over his shoulder, and trying to think of somewhere to go to get the damned bane of his existence safe.  It didn’t help that the other man was stumbling and seemed barely coherent.  Cursing low in his throat, Draco managed to hit Bulstrode with a Patrificus Totalus which caused the other two to stumble over her prone form.  Turning a corner, Draco raced down a hallway and past several sets of doors, trying any of them until he finally found one that opened.  He raced inside and shoved it closed, snapping the lock shut before falling back against the door.  Breathing as though he’d run a race… which essentially he _had,_ he was trying to think of what in Merlin’s name to do next when he heard the pounding of footsteps in the corridor outside.  Fuck fuck fuck!!!

 

“C-cloak,” came a husky voice from nearby.  Draco jumped at the sound only to realize that Potter, who’d fallen to his knees beside him, was speaking.

 

“What?” Draco hissed, his back still against the door.

 

“My… cloak… in my pocket… Put it… round us… should-“

 

Draco was already moving.  He shoved his hand into the chosen one’s trouser pocket… and felt his face flush when he felt the side of a considerable arousal brush his hand when he did so and heard the other man suck in a breath.  He put all that to the back of his head and felt around in what felt like an undetectable extension charm until his fingers came across something silky.  He snatched it up and yanked Potter forward and under a desk slightly down the aisle before he flipped the cloak open and spread it over them both, checking to make certain that there was nothing showing before huddling close to the man who never seemed to _not_ cause him trouble…

 

He was just in time because seconds later the door burst open and footsteps rushed in.  He heard a frantic search as their pursuers checked under every desk and actually put a hand over his own mouth and Harry’s when Blaise’s dark face appeared in front of the desk where they were hiding, checking for them.  He was so close that they were almost nose to nose, close enough for Draco to make out the slight hint of discolouration where Blaise had fallen and smudged the powder he wore (bloody fop).  Draco held his breath his hand tightened over both his own and Harry’s mouths, praying that the cloak worked as well now as it had when he’d caught Harry wearing it before… 

 

And then in the next second the dark skinned Wizard was gone.  Blaise rushed to the next desk and the next before shouting, “They’re not here, let’s try the next room!” and rushing out with the others.  Draco didn’t dare to breathe until the door slammed behind them, his hand still over his and Harry’s mouths as he listened to the echo of the footsteps rushing away down the corridor…

 

Right up until he distinctly felt the sensation of lips caressing along his palm and turned his head to see Harry-Savior-Of-Us-All-Potter… sodding _nuzzling_ his palm where it lay against his mouth…

 

What the actual fuck…

 

Draco’s silver eyes widened in shock and he turned to Potter to see that there was only a hint of that Dragon’s green around the edges of his blown pupils.  His expression, what Draco could see of it behind his own pale, slim fingers, was almost… hungry.

 

And it was around the time that he realized this fact that he also realized he still had his hand there was rather enjoying the nuzzling more than he should…

 

Quickly yanking his slender hand down (from his own mouth as well, _damn_ but he was smooth) he quickly rubbed his tingling palm against his trousers and said in a shaky voice, “They’ve… they’ve gone.  But we should probably give them a few moments before we-“

 

He didn’t get a chance to finish saying what their next move would be because from one second to the next he was laying under an invisibility cloak with his arms full of a moaning Harry Potter who seemed to have no other desire in this life than to stick his tongue down Draco Malfoy’s throat.

 

For a second he just laid there, silver eyes wide with shock and lips unmoving beneath the apparent desperation of the other man’s… and then his brain caught up with the rest of the situation and he gasped into Potter’s mouth, shaking his head slightly as he tried to lift his hands between them to ward the other man off.

 

Except that Harry took his gasp as an invitation and his tongue slipped between Draco’s lips the second that they parted, instantly making itself at home by teasing and caressing along his own with a lithe certainty that tasted entirely too fucking delicious.  The gasp turned into a moan and for a second, just a second, Draco melted against the man whom he’d been in love with for years.  His hand slid up and his fingers twined into those untameable black curls which were even softer than he’d dreamed, a soft whimper of pleasure escaping him before he could stop it…

 

And then he remembered that this was Harry Sodding Potter, Boy-Who-Lived-To-Hate-Draco-Malfoy… and there was no logical reason whatsoever that he’d even _touch_ Draco, let alone snog him senseless.

 

Pushing his hands forward, he managed to get them between himself and Harry and pushed him back gently but firmly.  They were both panting as though they’d been racing through the corridors again and Draco had no doubt that his own pupils were now as blown as Potter’s, his lips no doubt just as kiss-swollen, his face just as deliciously flushed and-

 

He gave himself a firm mental shake and quit starring at the far-too-tempting image Potter presented as he scrambled backward, dislodging the cloak from them both as he tried to get his feet under him and said, “P-Potter what… what do you… have you gone bloody mad?!  What’s-“

 

Potter whimpered and tried to follow him, gasping, “Draco… Gods… Draco _please_ …” as he scrabbled at Draco’s shirt and tried to pull him right back into him.

 

Seriously… what the _actual_ fuck?!?!

 

Trying desperately to ignore the way that hearing his first name on Harry’s lips affected him, Draco managed to push himself to his feet and back away until he felt a desk hit him in the ass and nearly toppled over it.  Pin wheeling his arms in a rather undignified fashion, he managed to keep his feet under him and said, “I… Potter what is wrong with you?  Have you… no, no stop, stop that!” he suddenly shouted, eyes wide with horror when he found Harry, who’d also gotten to his own feet, pursuing him and trying to yank on his shirt and pull him right back into his body.  “Potter!  What in the name of Merlin’s saggy tits do you think you’re doing?!”

 

“So hot…” the suddenly-insane-Savior gasped, his hands pushing aside Draco’s every attempt to stop them.  “Need… need to feel you… need to touch you Draco _please_ … Gods please touch me _please_!” he begged.

 

Right.  So Draco had fallen asleep in class and was having a very _vivid_ wet dream.  It wasn’t like the dragon-eyed-boy hadn’t featured in every bloody wet dream he’d had since he’d started having the damned things, but still, this was new.  It was so tactile, so unbelievably _real_ , so-

 

Harry’s hands managed to grip his shirt and give it a good yank, splitting it open and sending buttons pinging and ponging around the room and Draco gave a shocked gasp as lips were suddenly on him, working desperately from the base of his now-very-askew-tie and down along his chest hungrily.

 

Fuck fuck fuck!!

 

Closing his eyes against the pleasure and swallowing over the mountain currently lodged in his throat (not to mention the erection that was trying to take over every ounce of bloodflow to his brain) Draco managed to get hold of the other man’s shoulders and push him back, saying, “Potter you… what… this isn’t…”

 

And then he remembered what Nott and Bulstrode had said, _“…well you’ll never find him more ah… interested. Begging for it in fact, aren’t you Potter?”_ … _“Oh don’t worry Draco, he’ll enjoy every minute of what we’re about to do to him. Mmm… won’t you Potter?”_

 

 _Feralis Concitatio_ … a curse favoured by rapists.  It made the victim more than just willing, it made them _desperate_ for sex.  Even the vilest and most disgusting of people would be acceptable because all that mattered was sating the need for pleasure and coupling.  Draco only knew about it because his Godfather had warned him a few of the Snatchers favoured the curse back during the war and wouldn’t really care that he was a Malfoy and marked to boot.

 

He’d never taught him how to remove it if you got hit though…

 

Moving sideways along the table to try to get away from Potter’s desperate hands, Draco licked his lips and said, “O-ok Potter it’s… look it’ll be alright.  You just need to… you’re not exactly yourself right now.”

 

“Draco,” Harry begged, now yanking at his own shirt since Draco kept pushing his hands away to stop his attempts to remove Draco’s.  He was following the blonde step for step, staying as close as possible so that there was no room for Draco to catch a breath. “Draco _please_ … please I… I need you,” he begged.

 

Licking his lips and closing his eyes against what that sight and those words did to him, Draco said, “I… you _think_ you need me Potter but,” he managed a weak laugh, “ _trust me_ , you’ll not exactly be feeling the same once that curse wears off.  In fact you might just try to kill me… then yourself… then probably me again, aye?” 

 

Harry had now yanked his shirt and tie off and was back to trying to get to Draco’s clothes.

 

Trying to hold his shirt together, Draco continued to scrabble backward and said, “It’s a curse Potter.  A truly vile curse, ok?  It… it’ll be alright.  We just need to get you to hospital wing or… or even one of the Professors or mmph-“

 

His words were cut off because he suddenly found himself pinned against the wall with a hungry set of Gryffindor lips moving against his own while a body he’d dreamed of for so-fucking-long writhed against his in all the best ways.  A soft whimper escaped him and Gods help him, he melted into that fucking kiss again.  Lips opening with a soft sound of desperation, he allowed Harry’s far-too-talented-tongue to duel with his own.  Surely for just a moment it was alright… it wasn’t like he’d ever get to know what the man tasted like any other way… it couldn’t possibly be so bad to-

 

He cursed himself for a vile, disgusting thing and yanked his mouth away, trying to push the other Wizard away from him (though even he had to admit, it was a weak damned attempt and he knew it).  “Potter you… you’re not in your right mind,” he half begged.  “I… we _can’t_.  You _hate me_ remember?  I’ll… I’ll get the Weaslette… Ginny… we’ll… we’ll get her and-”

 

“Don’t hate you…” Harry said, trying to get closer.  “Never hate… Gods please… please I don’t care about a curse… I don’t _want_ Ginny I just…” his hands were pulling at Draco’s shirt, managing to get it down off his shoulders until it was hanging at his wrists by the only buttons left to the bloody thing.  “Gods please help me Draco… so hot…” his eyes looked pleadingly into Draco’s and his expression was one of near-pain as he begged, “ _Please_ … I need you…”  He slid in against the blonde again and began to kiss along his bared chest, down along his stomach, “I’ll make it so good for you… _please_ …”

 

Draco was fast losing all of his ability to think straight.  The only thing he could focus on was those lips and the heat of the body pressing against his.  A body he’d wanted for so fucking long and never been allowed to have… The man that he loved and could never touch and he wanted _him_ …

 

And he also knew, thanks to Snape’s little lesson on the _Feralis Concitatio_ curse, that Harry’s blood would be boiling inside of him.  It would be screaming at him and making him literally _hurt_ with the need to feel someone else inside of him.  Because that was the way that the curse worked.  And the longer you denied it, the more it ate away at you until you could literally die unless you gave in to it and, thereby, the disgusting creature who’d put it on you.

 

“Need… need to get… hospital… counter-curse I-“ Draco tried, his voice going softer and huskier by the second as Harry’s hands kept roaming his chest and down along his hips, across his ass.  His head fell back against the blackboard behind him and he tried knocking it again a second time, tried to keep his wits about him as he said, “Even… your friends… someone… _help_ …”

 

He wasn’t sure if he was talking about Harry… or pleading for the last of his own willpower because in the next second he was catching hold of the sides of Harry’s face and yanking him up so that he could find that delicious, oh-so-perfect mouth again…

 

He rationalized to himself that he was helping Harry…  If he didn’t give in to his need then he’d die a very painful death.  He rationalized that this was all _not_ his fault… _he_ hadn’t put the damned curse on the Savior…

 

And then Harry’s hand slid down into his pants and all rationalization disappeared from his mind as the first wave of exquisite pleasure danced through him at the sensation of Potter’s strong, callused fingers wrapping around his cock.  He jerked and moaned into Harry’s mouth, his hips rocking forward of their own volition as he cried out in pleasure. And Harry drank his cries like a man drowning, his tongue moving hungrily against Draco’s as he licked and nuzzled him while his hand stroked an already rampant need even higher…

 

“Please Draco,” Harry moaned into his mouth, “No one else… don’t want… never wanted anaone else… just you…”

 

The song of a siren could be no more beautiful to Draco’s ears.  No one else.  Just him.  _He_ was all that Potter wanted.  _He_ was all that the beautiful, all-too-perfect man needed. 

 

And even though it wasn’t real, in that moment, Draco could pretend that it was…

 

“Harry…” Draco whimpered as his mouth moved desperately down the other man’s throat.  “Gods Harry… please…”

 

He didn’t even know what he was pleading for anymore. 

 

Harry told him seconds later by dropping to his knees in front of the blonde.  His hand slid out of Draco’s pants but before Draco could even manage to mourn the loss of sensation, his trousers were being undone and slid down his slim hips.  He gasped when the cold air danced over his throbbing cock, some sense returning with the cold shock of sensation and he opened his mouth to say that they needed to find someone who could remove the curse or _at least_ get the damned git to his annoying little Gryffindor girlfriend-

 

When those far-too-delectable lips were suddenly wrapped around Draco’s cock and all thought of allowing _anyone_ else near Harry at that moment became an anathema to his very existence.  His knees went weak and he would have fallen if Harry’s large, warm hands hadn’t been cupping his ass and kneading it.  He was holding Draco up so that he could work his cock with his mouth as though it were the most delectable thing he’d ever tasted and sweet mother of Merlin, _how_ did a heterosexual man like Potter learn to do _that_ so fucking well?! 

 

Draco’s hands scrabbled for purchase and he finally managed to grab hold of the chalk tray just to keep himself upright.  He looked down through lust-heavy-lids at the sight of Harry on his knees, working his cock hungrily as he hollowed out his cheeks and sucked hard, drawing him in deeper and bobbing his head back and forth…

 

No sight had ever been more erotic.  He damned near burst in Potter’s mouth then and there, just from the gorgeous image the Boy-Who-Lived made.  His hips thrust forward against his will and he whimpered as Harry only seemed to purr in approval and work his cock harder.  Letting go of the chalk rail, he shoved one hand back through his own white-blonde locks while the other slid down to the back of Harry’s head, spreading chalk dust through the midnight locks as he caressed them almost lovingly.  He felt himself growing nearer and nearer to the edge, knew one more hit to the back of that throat would-

 

And then suddenly the delicious wet heat was gone and Harry was standing before him again.  He gasped in shocked dismay at the abrupt end but then Harry’s mouth was on his again, and sweet Gods the taste of his own precum mixed with the indescribable flavour that was Harry Potter only made him that much more delicious. 

 

“Fuck me Draco,” Harry purred into his mouth.  “Please… _please_ fuck me…” he begged.

 

Draco didn’t even know when he had managed to do it, but he realized that Harry had managed to kick off his shoes and trousers when he felt the other man’s big hand suddenly wrap around Draco’s cock and rub it deliciously along another hard, thick length.  He almost screamed in pleasure at the delicious frot and Gods but not a single one of his fantasies had _ever_ done Harry Potter justice.  He thrust into that evilly perfect hand, wrapping his own fingers around Harry’s to increase the delicious friction of their cocks together…

 

And then moaned into Harry’s mouth, “Fuck it,” before he pushed the shorter boy forward against the nearest desk.  He laid Harry back over it and came above him, his mouth never leaving those perfect, wicked lips.  Harry moaned in approval and instantly wrapped his legs around Draco’s hips, hands scrabbling at his back and blunted nails digging in.

 

Finally ripping his hands free of the wrists of his shirt, Draco tossed it away somewhere behind him.  Slipping a hand between them, Draco encouraged Harry’s legs higher along his hips before he teased a finger along the other man’s entrance…

 

And whimpered, panting against Harry’s neck at how wet and open he found it.  Disgusting spell thought of everything… it even ensured that the victim was lubed and stretched…

 

Draco’s head fell forward against Harry’s chest and he tried one last time to find a good, decent person inside of himself that probably never existed in the first place.  “Harry… I shouldn’t… _we_ shouldn’t it’s… curse… wrong… so fucking wrong I-“

 

And then his head was being lifted up from Harry’s chest by hands that were surprisingly gentle considering how scrabbling and desperate they’d been only minutes before.  He looked down into hungry, but surprisingly determined eyes as Harry said huskily, “I want it to be you… I always wanted it to be you Draco…”

 

A lie brought on by the curse… words Harry Potter would never speak to Draco Malfoy in his right mind… yet everything Draco had ever _ever_ wanted to hear.  He looked into those dragon’s eyes for a moment longer, seeing everything he’d ever wanted reflected in their depths…

 

And then slid inside his enemy, and into the only home he would ever want again…

 

Harry’s body tightened around him in welcome and the other man’s head slid backward on a moan of ecstasy.  The legs wrapped at his waist tightened and Draco watched as his head fell back in pleasure, the long line of his neck so taut his Adam’s Apple danced beneath his skin.  Draco ducked his head to run his tongue along the length of that delicious neck, feeling a primitive desire to gently bite or suckle at it, to mark the other man as his own so that all the fucking world would know that Harry James Potter _belonged_ to Draco Lucius Malfoy…

 

But he managed to hold himself back from that and instead just nuzzled and licked while he let Harry get used to the feel of him inside.  Not that that took long as the Gryffindor was apparently just as impatient in this as he was in everything else.  He began to whimper and shift beneath Draco, his hands sliding down to the globes of Draco’s ass and squeezing hard.

 

It was all the encouragement Draco needed.  He pulled back and then thrust home again and within seconds he’d set up a rhythm that had them both panting and gasping and moaning in between desperate kisses at every inch of skin they could reach.  Their bodies molded together as though they’d been made for one another and it was as though Draco just _knew_ how to angle his hips to find that perfect spot inside of Harry to have the other Wizard shouting his name.  The muscles in Draco’s back and ass flexed with every thrust and the way that Potter’s body surrounded and squeezed him had him nearing the edge in an embarrassingly quick period.

 

Holding himself above Harry with one hand, Draco slid the other between them and caught Harry’s cock in his long fingers.  He began to pump him in time to the rhythm of his thrusts and watched as Harry writhed beneath him like a finely tuned instrument being played by a master musician.  He cried out for more, faster, harder and Draco gave him everything he wanted.  He pushed his unexpected-but-desperately-wanted-lover to the very edge, thumb teasing over his tip and dancing through the precum there as he urged him toward the edge that Harry needed and they both wanted…

 

And then Harry suddenly screamed, “Draco!!” and hot fluid burst forth, coating both of their bellies.  Draco felt Harry’s muscles tighten and spasm around him and it was all it took before he cried out Harry’s name in a guttural, barely human voice and followed him right over the edge, pouring himself into the only man he’d ever wanted to be with…

 

And as the sweat slowly dried on their bodies, as the roiling need slowly cooled… Draco could only think that even when he died for this, as he surely would once Potter was back in his right mind… he’d die happier than he ever imagined he possibly could…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is my first Drarry though I've written a lot of Marauders Era RPG. Hope you like it, more chapters to come :) Kudos and notes welcome but please be kind :)


	2. Chapter 2

~*~*~ Chapter 2 ~*~*~

 

Waking up under a desk wasn’t exactly how Harry had expected to spend his second day in the castle that had been his home for half his life and that he’d spent the summer after the war helping to rebuild.  Of course, given Seamus’s love of Firewhiskey and rousing-yet-neverending-toasts, waking up underneath things had definitely happened in the past.  Still, he usually at least remembered getting _started_ drinking. 

 

He cursed and lifted a hand to his throbbing head, trying to get what felt like The Weird Sisters having a helluva party between his temples to quiet down.  He looked around to try to figure out where he was…

 

Only to pause with his hand still raised to his temple when he caught sight of long, slim fingers leading up to a pale, almost-delicate-yet-still-masculine wrist… and said fingers and hand and all of the elements in between were currently resting rather possessively across his chest.

 

His _bare_ chest…

 

Oh.  Holy.  Fuck…

 

He was going to kill Seamus.  He was going to kill him and dance on the ashes.  He’d gotten so fucking drunk that he’d gone out and gotten laid?!  Seriously?!  All fucking summer he’d been dodging attempts from both sexes to get The Savior into bed.  Every time that he went into Hogsmeade he had to check his bloody drink to make certain there weren’t any love potions in it (and had found them far too many times for comfort).  He’d taken to going up to the bar, watching the bartender pour, and bringing his own cup back just to keep it from happening.

 

Of course, even the ones who weren’t _quite_ so unscrupulous were still quite determined.  Ever since the Prophet had run the story of his breakup with Ginny, he’d found himself constantly surrounded by Witches and Wizards alike who wanted nothing more than to convince him that they could mend his broken heart… or at least his lonely penis.

 

And he’d managed to dodge all of them.  He didn’t _want_ to have sex just to have it.  He didn’t _want_ to get fucked by some groupie member of the never-ending-Harry-Potter-Fanclub.  He _wanted_ love damnit.

 

Which meant that he was basically doomed to be a virgin forever as far as he was concerned, because the one person he loved wouldn’t touch him with a Basilisk nearby for protection…

 

Yet here he was, laying under a desk with a hangover from Hades and with some random person wrapped round him like they owned him or had been afraid he’d disappear in the night, and since there wasn’t any Basilisk nearby he seriously doubted it was-

 

There was a yawn to his left and the hand moved, twisting and tightening around his chest.  He felt a leg that he hadn’t realized was pinning his, shift slightly and then saw a flash of white from the corner of his eye as a head moved on his shoulder.

 

White… or rather white-blonde.  Almost silver… and oh-so-familiar…

 

Sweet Gods of all the Heavens… it _couldn’t be_ …

 

Yet when he turned his head, he didn’t need his glasses to know those straight white locks which looked deliciously mussed… and oddly had streaks of yellowy-orange in them.  And looking again at that hand over his chest, he recognized the pale skin, the long pianist’s fingers, the lines of veins leading up muscular forearms…

 

He finally turned his head, breath stuck in his chest, and caught sight of the sleeping face of Draco Malfoy so near to his that their noses almost brushed.  Draco Sodding Malfoy… the man he’d loved even when he thought he hated him.  His own secret obsession… and he was laying just as naked as Harry could feel that he was and cuddled up against him as though Draco Malfoy cuddling Harry Potter wasn’t the most insane thought the ‘verse had ever dredged up.

 

His heart pounding faster than a Niffler going for a dropped galleon, Harry tried to remember how in hell he’d wound up here.  He remembered telling Ron and Hermione to go ahead to potions and that he’d catch up.  Remembered heading for the toilet with the plan to go quickly before he wound up late to Snape’s class and got himself detention on his second day back.  He remembered quickly relieving himself of his painfully full bladder and standing at the sink washing his hands…

 

Then everything went blurry.  There was… something.  A pain dead center in his back.  He’d whipped around, wand already raised in preparation to strike out at his attackers… and then a wave of heat had washed through him like nothing he’d ever known.  He’d gasped with it, half falling forward as lust had hit him so hard he’d thought he’d choke on his own need.

 

Harry’s eyes began to dart back and forth as the memories started to assail him.  The sound of laughter as his wand had fallen from lax fingers at the wave of unadulterated lust sweeping through him.  The feel of harsh hands grabbing him by the upper arms and yanking him from the loo.  The smell of stale breath panting close to his ear, _“Took us ages to come up with the perfect punishment for you Golden Boy… but I think we’ve definitely hit upon it…”_

 

He didn’t remember who had attacked him, not really.  He had vague flashes of dark skin, of bushy black hair and a heavy, jutting jaw…

 

He sucked in a breath as another image returned to him.  One he couldn’t mistake.  Malfoy.  Malfoy coming toward him with a wand… 

 

And then the memories got tangled up and he thought Malfoy had been one of the ones pawing at him, whispering all the vile things that they’d do to him and have him do to them… He felt his stomach ache and turn over with bile as he remembered the feeling of his body responding without his permission, tangled with the sight of that oh-so-familiar blonde head and flashing silver eyes and-

 

“Harry?”

 

Harry’s entire body jerked at the sound of that voice, soft and gentle with what almost sounded like a worried tone to it.  And he knew that voice so well.  He knew every last decadent note… he’d just never heard it worried over him before.  Never heard his given name from those lips or even imagined what it would do to him to hear it…

 

“Harry, are you alright?”

 

He closed his eyes against the tears that were threatening to drown him.  Was he alright?  How could he _possibly_ be alright?  He’d just lost his virginity to the one man whom he’d _wanted_ to give it to… in the most vile and disgusting way possible.

 

“Oh Gods… it’s… Harry are you in pain?  It might be the curse.  Fuck, _fuck_ I’m an idiot.  Should’ve gotten you to hospital wing I just… damnit I am such a fool.  Come on, it’s alright just-“

 

He couldn’t take it.  The worried tone… the way that those long-fingered hands were so tender and gentle as they caressed over his chest and along his cheek with this false worry.  It was almost as though the other Wizard gave a shit about him.

 

Which was utterly impossible for so very _very_ many reasons…

 

A tear snaked from the corner of his eye and dampened the hair at his ear as Harry tried to shake his head and push weakly at the surprisingly warm hands. 

 

“Harry it’s ok… it’ll be ok, whatever’s hurting I’m sure Pomfrey can help and-“

 

No… no she couldn’t help.  Because Pomfrey couldn’t heal a broken fucking heart…

 

“L-let me up,” Harry croaked, surprised by how raspy his voice sounded, as though he’d been screaming and shouting for some time.  Another tear trailed down and he kept his eyes tightly closed as he gave up all his dignity (whatever he had left) and begged, “Please let me up Malfoy… p-please…”

 

He felt rather than saw Draco stiffen though he didn’t have the first clue why, nor did he care in that moment.  He only cared that a moment later, the weight that had been half pinning him as Draco caressed his cheek and kept speaking in that evilly gentle tone, was lifting.  Harry quickly turned away, giving the other Wizard his back as he tried desperately to get his emotions back under control. 

 

“Harry it’s… look it’ll be ok.  We’ll get you to hospital wing alright?”  Harry felt a hand on his back and felt a sob lodge itself in his throat before he forced himself to choke it down.  He had to get a grip.  Yes, he’d just woken up naked with Draco Malfoy.  Yes, judging by the soreness in muscles he’d never even known he had, he’d apparently been shagged by Draco Malfoy.  And yes, Draco had apparently hit him with some kind of curse before raping him but-

 

But what?  What _but_ was there in this situation?  He’d been literally _killed_ and it had hurt less than this moment.

 

He was softly sobbing and he couldn’t even get himself to _try_ to stop…

 

“Oh Gods Harry don’t… don’t cry it’s…” the hand on his back slid to his shoulder and squeezed gently, trying to get him to turn, “Please Harry it’ll be ok, just let me explain it’s-“

 

“S-stop… stop c-calling m-me…” Harry choked out, trying to get himself to shrug that warm hand off.  “Stop… p-pretending to…” he shook his head and forced himself to begin searching for his glasses… for some clothes… anything to cover up with.

 

Once again, he felt more than saw Malfoy stiffen.  He was tempted to turn round, to see what the other man’s expression was, but at that moment he caught sight of the blurry black shape that he knew after years of searching for them like this was his glasses.  He quickly shoved them onto his face, swiping a fist beneath his eyes as he worked to get his breathing under control and search for something to cover up with.  _Anything_ …

 

He heard a sharply indrawn breath from behind him and then the hand on his back lifted away… and fuck but he was bloody mad… yet he instantly missed it’s warmth.  And when Draco’s voice sounded again, there was a note to it that he didn’t recognize.  It was almost like… pain…

 

“Har- _Potter_ … look I don’t know what you remember but this isn’t what you thi-“

 

Before that silky-smooth-and-possibly-pain-filled voice could continue, however, the sound of footsteps racing down the corridor sounded outside the door.  Harry cursed and moved quickly to grab hold of a discarded shirt, yanking it on before rushing to try to find his trousers. 

 

He heard a soft curse behind him before the other Wizard moved to do the same, scrambling into his trousers and yanking on a shirt before the door burst open and Hermione rushed in, followed by Ron and McGonagall. 

 

“Harry!” Hermione gasped, rushing forward and yanking him into her arms before she probably even registered what she was walking in on.  She was obviously frantic, her voice muffled with tears as she clung to him and said, “Oh Gods Harry, we thought… we’ve been searching for you for ages!  We thought something had happened to you!”

 

Harry stood there limp in her grasp, numbly unable to move or even to think of anything beyond the fact that yes… something had definitely happened to him…

 

“What the bloody hell d’ya think yer doin in here _Malfoy_?!”

 

Harry turned his head to see Ron standing with his wand on Draco and a look in his eyes of pure hatred.  He saw his best mate look over Draco, then turn to look at Harry… and saw his hand tighten even further around his wand as he advanced on the blonde who was standing there with his hands up.  “What did you do to him you filthy fucking-“

 

And suddenly Harry proceeded to do the craziest thing he’d probably ever done (and that was saying a _lot_ ) by yanking out of Hermione’s arms and rushing to put himself between Draco Malfoy and Ron Weasley.  He held up his hands and said, “No!  Ron it’s… it isn’t what it looks like.”

 

“The bloody hell it isn’t,” Ron snarled, wand still aimed, though now slightly above Harry’s head (Ron and Malfoy were of a height whereas Harry never had gained that extra few centimeters he’d always hoped for). 

 

Cursing, he stood up to his full height and hissed, “Alright yes, it’s exactly what it looks like.  And it’s also none of your bloody concern Ron.”

 

How was it that he knew, could practically _sense_ every movement of Draco’s body?  When he stiffened, when he shifted, when he drew in a breath... and right now he could feel the shock radiating off of the blonde in waves.  He ignored it, however, and stood his ground.

 

“Not my concern?” Ron said in a mixture of shock, horror and confusion.  “Not my _concern?!_   Malfoy just… he just…” it was as though he couldn’t even get the words out.  He shook his head, his face so flushed his freckles blended into the rest as he snarled, “Oh no, it is _completely_ my _concern_ mate, an I’ll bloody well kill ‘im so-“

 

“It’s no more your concern than it was mine when I walked in on you and Hermione.  It just… it…” he flushed and cursed and wondered what the bloody hell was wrong with him to be _defending_ his _rapist_ and finally just shook his head and said, “Look I’m sorry I scared you.  I’m fine though.  Completely fine.”

 

Hermione, flushed and looking like she was somewhere between confused and embarrassed, finally moved forward and took hold of Ron’s hand, pulling his wand down.  “Ron it’s… it’s not our business.  Come on, this is Harry’s… I mean we shouldn’t be…” she blushed some more and finally just pulled at her boyfriend’s arm, saying, “Come on Ronald…”

 

Ron was still looking as though he wanted to find out what a very specific Unforgiveable felt like, but, as usual, Hermione’s presence calmed him as little else could.  He lowered his wand finally and turned away with a snarled oath, clinging to Hermione’s hand like a lifeline.

 

Hermione shifted, looking between Harry and Draco a couple of times before finally saying, “Right we’ll… we’ll see you in the common room Harry.”  She shifted and said, “If… that is if… you’re certain you’re alright?”

 

Alright?  Was he alright?  No… no he was pretty fucking far from ‘alright’.  He’d just compared losing his virginity by rape to the loving expression of affection between his two best mates.  He was standing here defending a man who, by rights, he should be wanting to kill himself!  If that landed him anywhere _near_ ‘alright’ then he’d really love to get a definition of the word.

 

But he didn’t say any of that to Hermione or to Ron who was now carefully _not_ looking at him and still visibly seething with rage.  He merely remained where he was, planted firmly in front of Draco, and said, “I’m certain Hermione… Ron… please I’ll… I’ll be there in a moment alright?”

 

Hermione looked between he and the taller man behind him for just a moment, then finally inclined her head and turned, taking Ron’s arm and gently but firmly leading him from the room.

 

Harry was just working up the courage to turn round and face Draco again when he heard a soft cough from off to his left… and remembered with horror that Professor McGonagall was in the room as well…

 

“Well… as fascinating as this tale no doubt would be, I think I’ll survive quite well without hearing it Potter.  50 points from both Gryffindor and Slytherin for…” she shifted and he’d _swear_ he saw a blush dance over her cheeks before she said carefully, “Inappropriate behavior in a classroom.  And you will both serve detention for the next _month_.”

 

She nodded in agreement with herself before turning round and stalking out of the classroom with a parting, “I expect both of you in your House Common Rooms within the next 15 minutes,” before she disappeared from sight.

 

Harry swallowed tightly, licking his lips several times and simply remaining where he was.  He was unaware that he was shaking until he felt a cool hand slide up to his shoulder.

 

“Har-Potter… why would… do… you remember then or-“ Malfoy began.

 

Harry cursed low in his throat and shrugged off the hand on his shoulder.  He swallowed tightly and quickly moved forward to gather up his robes and tie, saying huskily, “Do me a favour Malfoy… at least give me a head’s up before the article comes out in the Prophet will you?”

 

He turned on his heel and fled the room as quickly as he could, all without ever turning to look at Malfoy’s face and with his heart in his throat.

 

It wasn’t until he was nearly up to Gryffindor Tower and the special wing set aside for the returning 8th year students that he realized the sleeves of his shirt were too long and it was rather tight round the chest… something he realized when he tried to pull it closed to button it… and found every last button missing…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The rest of the chapters may or may not be shorter than this one. I really wanted to establish both Harry and Draco's thoughts of this initial encounter before moving on. Also, POV will shift between the two from chapter to chapter. Hopefully it's clear whose thoughts we're in by the content but if anyone would rather notes establishing which one we're seeing, just give a shout. And, as always, Kudos and comments are welcome!


	3. Chapter 3

~*~*~ Chapter 3 ~*~*~

 

“Expect you in your common room in 15 minutes,” Draco mocked under his breath as he trudged along the corridor toward the Slytherin common room.  “Right… might as well have just told me she expects me dead in the next 15 minutes… be bout the same bloody thing,” he grumbled.

 

He was grumbling and trudging and focusing on his impending Avada Kedavra’ing because it was less painful than focusing on other things… or, more specifically, on the sight of Harry’s shoulders quaking with silent sobs or the sight of those tear-filled-dragon’s-eyes looking at him with such… betrayal.

 

Fuck but he had fucked up so badly.  He _knew_ he should have gotten Potter to hospital wing as soon as they lost their pursuers.  He _knew_ he should never have given in but-

 

He stopped and rested his shoulder against the stone wall beside him as memories of the preceding day (and well into the night) came back to him.  They’d finished that first, exquisitely perfect time together and he’d fully expected Harry to push him off and cry foul.  Instead, the Gryffindor had clung to him and just continued kissing him with slow, languid caresses of mouth and tongue.  They’d wound up going again more slowly… and then again and again… until they’d finally fallen asleep in one another’s arms.  And it had been the most perfect thing Draco had ever imagined.  Hell, no imagination could possibly do it justice…

 

Up until he’d woken up to Potter tight with what was obviously fear and unwilling to let him even _try_ to explain himself. 

 

He cursed softly and turned to press his forehead against the wall, banging it once and then again for good measure.  What in the hell had he expected?  Had he thought Harry Potter would wake up wanting him just as much as he’d wanted him while he’d been under that filthy curse?  Had he thought the other Wizard would be _grateful_ he’d helped him? 

 

Still… those parting words ached inside of him.  _Give me a head’s up before the article comes out in the prophet…_   Did he _truly_ think so little of him? 

 

But then… why wouldn’t he?  It wasn’t like he’d ever done anything remotely decent to the boy during all their years together.

 

~Except not giving him away to Voldemort when he had the chance… or not fighting him when he tried to steal his wand so that he wasn’t unarmed during the final battle… or loving him with every ounce of your fucking _soul_ like the stupid git that you are or-~

 

His bitter thoughts were interrupted by the low, cool, snide tones that could come from only source…

 

“Much though I have been tempted to do the same with your head a few more times than I should admit, if your performance in my class suffers for the abuse I shall be most displeased.”

 

Draco cursed and turned his head slightly to see his Godfather standing beside him in the corridor, arms crossed over his chest and one dark eyebrow lifted in disdain.

 

And before he could even think about what he was doing, he’d twisted and shoved himself into Severus Snape’s arms with a choked whimper of, “Uncle Sev,” as he clung to the man who’d been more a father to him than his own ever dreamed of being.

 

Severus simply stood there for a long moment, hands stiffly at his sides and body tight with shock.  Then a soft curse rumbled through his chest and he wrapped his arms around Draco, saying softly, “Not here Dragon,” before turning, one arm locked tight around Draco’s shoulders, and encouraged him down the hallway and away from the Slytherin common room toward his own quarters.

 

Once they were safely inside with a variety of wards over the door so intricate that Draco couldn’t even name most of them, the tall, lanky Potion’s Master wrapped his arms tight around Draco and said, “Alright now, it’s alright Dragon.  It’s alright just tell me what’s happened.”

 

Tears began to flow down his cheeks and his breath choked in his throat as Draco was thrown back to so many years when he’d come to his Godfather in a very similar way.  He was 11 years old and had just been rejected by the boy he’d been obsessing over for years after trying to impress him in the only way Draco had ever been taught.  He was 12 and his Father had just bought his way onto the Quidditch team without even letting him try out to see if he could make it on his own.  He was 13 and his Father had Legilimens’d him and found out about his obsession with Harry Potter right before he’d beaten him bloody and informed him in no uncertain terms that the boy would be dying a very gruesome death and Draco would be marrying a proper 28 heir regardless of his own ‘inclinations’.  On and on it went, and always there was Severus, wrapping him into his arms and holding him, offering words of comfort and commiseration and doing everything a _real_ father should do, even if it was only to listen… And even though he was now a man in his own right, 18 years old and an adult by all the laws of their world… he really just _needed_ the only Daddy he’d ever had.

 

“I f-fucked up,” Draco said, his voice choked with sobs.  “I didn’t… I should’ve taken him to hospital wing… should’ve… should’ve fought harder or… or anathing but just… I shouldn’t…”

 

Severus let out a sigh and pulled back to look at him, lifting his chin gently but firmly upward until Draco had no choice but to look into those dark, far too knowing eyes.  “Dragon, take a breath.  You’re not making sense alright?  Just, think clearly and tell me what happened.”

 

Draco tried, he really did, but looking into those kindly black eyes only seemed to make it worse and, now that he’d started, he didn’t know how to stop the damned tears.  Severus cursed low in his throat and then seconds later Draco felt the familiar flutterings at the edge of his consciousness that meant someone was trying to read his thoughts.  His blocks were firmly in place, just as his Godfather had taught him ages ago, but after a moment he simply let them fall and allowed Severus in.  He was too tired to fight it, and it was easier to simply let Sev see than to try to explain it.

 

Severus’s eyes continued to dance along his for several moments and Draco saw the memories of the day before dance across the stage of his mind in vivid detail.  He flushed when some of the more intimate moments flashed across his mind’s eye, but he didn’t have the energy or will to keep his uncle away from those so he simply accepted it.

 

When he was done, Severus pulled back to look at him, his eyes dark with an unreadable expression…  Then the older Wizard shook his head and rubbed at his temple, muttering, “Yes Dragon… you definitely ‘fucked up’. “

 

Then he simply sighed and wrapped his arms tight around Draco again, pulling him close and pressing his chin against the top of Draco’s head as he curled him tight.  Shaking his head, he said, “But given the circumstances… and given who it was…” He sighed and gave Draco another squeeze.  He knew how much Draco loved Harry after all.  Sometimes, Draco thought that it was part of the reason the older man had always given Harry such a hard time.  Not that Severus didn’t have his own reasons, though the Gods only knew what they were.  Still, the fact that Potter was causing Draco pain, however unknowingly, probably didn’t help.

 

Finally, Severus gave him one last, tight squeeze before he sighed and said, “Alright then.  Well you’ll stay here tonight.  Going back to your common room is obviously out of the question.  I’ll speak with McGonagall about a more permanent solution tomorrow.”

 

Draco nodded numbly, his stomach churning with a mixture of exhaustion and emotion.  Licking his lips, he finally nodded and said, “I’m… I’m sorry Uncle Sev.  I didn’t mean to cause trouble I-“

 

Severus rolled his eyes and waved him off before he could finish the comment.  “Enough of that.  If I had a year at this school that _didn’t_ involve trouble caused by or centered around you and that boy, I’d think that bloody snake managed to finish me off.”

 

Draco laughed, his eyes sliding to the vicious scars just barely visible at the collar of Severus’s shirt.  How many times had he offered up thanks to the Gods that Severus had been smart enough to keep anti-venom for Nagini’s bite on him and had been able to slow his heart until healers could see to the wounds?  He wasn’t sure, but he knew he’d keep thanking them for as long as he was able.

 

“Thank you Sev,” Draco said softly.

Severus merely inclined his head before turning and saying, “Come, I was just about to have dinner.  You can join me while I go over the lesson you missed,” his eyes slid back to Draco reprovingly, “and then sleep in my guest room.”

 

Draco gave him a half-hearted, slightly sheepish smile and nodded, following the older man into the small en-suite kitchen to help him finish up laying out dinner… though he seriously doubted he’d eat a bite.


	4. Chapter 4

~*~*~ Chapter 4 ~*~*~

 

“No… no let go of me… get off me no!”

 

“S-stop… stop get off, I… please get-“

 

“Draco… Draco please… please…”

 

Harry’s eyes flew open and he sat up, panting and clutching at his chest.  His eyes flew around the unfamiliar room, searching for something… or rather someone…

 

When he realized he was alone, he closed his eyes and sank back into the bed, hands pressed over his eyes as though he could somehow snatch the dream out of there.  Or rather, the memory.  He was almost positive that it was, indeed, a memory.  A memory of Blaise Zabini, Millicent Bulstrode and Theodore Nott attacking him.  He’d fought them, trying to get them to let him go but he’d felt so strange, so hot and tight with need…

 

And then he’d seen Draco come into the room.  Draco… holding a wand.  A wand that he’d pointed at Harry’s attackers.  He was sure of it.  So… Draco had saved him from the other three…

 

But then how in hell had he wound up having sex with him?

 

He cursed and slammed his closed fists against his temples.  No.  _Not_ ‘having sex with him’.  Getting raped by him.  Draco had taken advantage of him, that much was obvious.  But why in the name of Merlin would he save him from the other 3 first?! 

 

Harry groaned and flopped back down, and instantly his hands found the shirt.  That damned shirt he’d worn back with its missing buttons and arms that were too long and little monogramed ‘DLM’ at the collar (of course the ponce would have monogramed shirts) …

 

The shirt that smelled of lemon and mint… just like Draco…

 

Trying to resist was like trying to pretend he didn’t need to breathe so he didn’t bother.  He curled the shirt around his fingers and lifted it up, sliding it to his face and drinking in the scent.  And with the action came a feeling of warmth and contentment… a feeling of pleasure so profound he knew it had to be his imagination because nothing could ever feel so good and so… so bloody _right_ …

 

Cursing himself for perhaps the thousandth time since he’d woken up under that damned desk, he shoved the shirt aside (and then picked it up, carefully folded it, and stuck it under his pillow) and got up to get ready.  He’d managed to avoid Ron and Hermione last night when he’d gotten back to the tower (or rather, they’d been avoiding him because the common room had been emptied by the time he reached it).  He was rather hoping that he could continue to put off that particular meeting for a while.  He loved his best mates with all of his heart, but he didn’t have answers to the questions that he knew they’d be asking.  He didn’t even have answers for himself.

 

Grabbing his watch, he checked the time and cursed.  He had maybe 20 minutes to shower, get dressed and find something to eat before he had to be in class.  Fantastic.  Deciding to forgo the shower, he shoved some clean (well… relatively clean, they weren’t _too_ wrinkly and they smelled ok) clothes on and ran down the stairs from the new addition to Gryffindor Tower that had been added for the 8 th years.  There had been more Gryffindor students who’d returned to school than any other house and so a new partition for them had been added to the tower and they’d each been surprised with private rooms.  Even Harry hadn’t known about that and he’d spent his summer working here to help rebuild the castle. 

 

It was rather nice, actually, to have his own space when he came in.  He missed Ron, Dean, Seamus and Neville, but not having to put up with Neville’s snoring and, more importantly, being able to avoid Ron for a bit longer, was more than a bit of a blessing…

 

He started to race down to the Great Hall but then paused halfway there and changed course.  He wasn’t sure he wanted to face his friends yet and the questions that would no doubt come pouring out of them the second that they saw him.  And he _definitely_ didn’t want to see Zabini, Bulstrode or Nott, whom he might be tempted to AK.

 

Seeing Malfoy was-

 

He cursed under his breath and twisted to head toward the kitchens.  Tickling the pear in the painting at the door, he smiled when he came in to find Kreacher already waiting just inside the door.

 

“Master Harry,” Kreacher said, bowing low.  “An honour it is to see you again.  How can Kreacher serve the most noble House of Potter this day?”

 

Harry laughed and shook his head, feeling himself relax more than he’d thought possible.  It was strange how the little elf could manage that when only moments before he’d been a taut bundle of nerves.  “You do remember that the ‘Noble House of Potter’ consists of exactly _me,_ right?”  He put his hands on his hips, “And how many times do I have to ask you to just call me Harry?”

 

Kreacher bowed again, the fake locket of Slytherin dangling from his throat to almost touch the ground, and said, “Master Harry is Head of the Noble House of Potter and has already brought it great glory.  Kreacher will serve Master Harry and Master Harry’s children and their children and-“

 

Harry held up his hand, “Right, of course.  I get the idea Kreacher.”  He swallowed hard over the lump in his throat at the idea of his having children.  He knew that there were potions to allow men to carry children, which was about the only way that Harry was ever going to have a baby.  Unfortunately, the only person he particularly wanted children with-

 

Clearing his throat several times, he finally managed to dredge up a smile for the wrinkly old elf, “Well, anyway, it’s good to see you all the same,” he said, surprising himself when he realized how honest the statement was.  It was strange how much things could change considering how he’d loathed the little elf in the past for helping to get Sirius killed.  But understanding him made a great deal of difference.

 

Giving Kreacher a smile that was more real this time, he said, “Hey, do you think maybe I could get something to eat?”

 

Kreacher’s eyes lit up as though Harry had just presented him with another ‘Black Family Heirloom’.  “Kreacher would be _most_ pleased to get breakfast for Master Harry.  Kreacher shall bring Master Harry eggs and bacon and sweet rolls and porridge and-“

 

Harry laughed and held up his hands, “Actually, as much as I’d appreciate that, I’ve not a lot of time.  I’ll have to eat on the run.  How about a sandwich or something instead hmm?”

 

Kreacher considered Harry for a moment before he finally inclined his head, “Of course Master Harry,” he said, then turned and muttered under his breath, the way he used to with curses and vitriol, “Though Kreacher thinks Master Harry should eat more because Master Harry is far too thin and needs to put some more weight on or he will need Kreacher to re-size his clothes before they fall off his-“

 

“Kreacher,” Harry said with an exasperated laugh.

 

Kreacher bowed low again and said again, “Of course Master Harry.  Right away,” and turned away.  Harry could still hear him muttering in worry for him, but decided to ignore it this time.

 

Barely a moment later, Kreacher reappeared with a plate holding a breakfast sandwich consisting of a crumpet he could tell was dripping in butter, poached egg, a thick slice of ham and cheese.  The little elf had even put a slice of orange and some parsley on the plate for garnish. 

 

Harry’s mouth was already watering, and he said honestly, “That looks _amazing_ Kreacher.  Thank you,” as he reached out and took the sandwich, taking a large bite and moaning contentedly.

 

Kreacher bowed low, “Kreacher lives to serve the Noble House of Potter.  Can Kreacher do anything more for Master Harry?” he asked, sounding rather hopeful.

 

Harry paused in his happy chewing, shifting slightly as he felt guilt slide through him.  He knew that Kreacher was alright with working in the Hogwarts kitchens, but he also knew that the elf didn’t exactly fit in with the rest of the elves here and Harry hadn’t even thought to visit him.  He shifted slightly, wishing he could just free the bloody elf and let him live his life… but he also knew that Kreacher would be horrified and hurt and quite possibly suicidal if he tried.  No, what the elf wanted was _work_ … and more specifically, work that Harry gave him.

 

Swallowing his bite, he managed a smile for the elf and said, “Um… well I’ve left my normal mess in my room, so if you want to tidy up in there I’d- “

 

Kreacher’s eyes lit up with absolute glee and he quickly said, “Of _course_ Master Harry!!  Kreacher would be _most_ pleased to do so.  Kreacher will make everything spotless Master Harry, everything will be- “

 

“Well, don’t ah… don’t go overboard or anything,” Harry said, suddenly wondering if he’d made a mistake.  “I mean, you don’t have to- “

 

“Of course, Master Harry,” Kreacher interrupted.  “But should Master Harry not be going to class now?  He will be late if he does not leave soon.”

 

Harry glanced down at his watch and cursed, “Bugger, you’re right!”  He took another bite of his sandwich and said, “Thanks Kreacher.  I’ll come visit you soon alright?”

 

“Of course, Master Harry.  Kreacher will always be happy to serve,” he said, then turned away, muttering about Harry’s room.

 

For a moment, Harry wondered if he’d made a mistake, but he shook his head and twisted to head for Transfiguration at a run, catching bites of his sandwich on the way. 

 

He’d just finished it up and was licking butter from his fingers when he came bursting into the classroom with barely a minute to spare.  He caught sight of Ron and Hermione, the latter of which visibly relaxed at the sight of him and gave him a smile.  He smiled back and started to move forward to take his seat with them-

 

When he caught sight of a flash of white-blonde from his peripheral vision.  He turned just in time to see Draco turning his gaze away from him and swallowed tightly, feeling the sandwich begin to roil in his stomach as he remembered that this was double transfiguration with Slytherin.

 

And suddenly everything that had felt almost normal as he chatted with Kreacher, became just as complicated as it had been before…

 

“Bugger,” he muttered under his breath (then blushed at the implications of his curse choice when in the same room with Sodding Malfoy) before he moved quickly to take his seat, feeling the eyes of three particular, and extremely venomous, Slytherins, following him the entire way…


	5. Chapter 5

~*~*~ Chapter 5 ~*~*~

 

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Draco said, for what had to be the 20th time.

 

Severus rolled his eyes and said, “Language Dragon, or I’ll be forced to take points away and make the members of your house even more annoyed with you.”  He crossed his arms over his chest and said, “And no, in point of fact, I am not ‘kidding you’.  Staying within the dungeons would be supremely unwise for you after the… incident… and the Headmistress agrees.  As Ms. Dunbar chose not to return to Hogwarts for her 8th year and instead signed on with the Falmouth Falcons, her room is available for use and- “

 

“Gryffindor.  You think I’ll be _safer_ with the bloody _Gryffindors_ than I’d be down in the dungeons?” Draco asked incredulously.

 

“5 points from Slytherin Malfoy, for language and for interrupting a teacher,” Snape said, dark eyes glittering dangerously.

 

Draco cursed (silently) and hung his head, muttering, “Sorry Uncle Sev.”

 

Severus considered his godson for a moment before he finally sighed and relented from his straight-backed, forbidding pose.  He lifted Draco’s chin gently and said, “I’d let you stay with me if I could Dragon, but it isn’t possible.  A night the Headmistress can overlook, but not for an entire year.”  His eyes darkened as he said, “And since neither you nor that fool Potter will press charges- “

 

“Har-Potter won’t press charges against them?!” Draco asked incredulously.

 

A sneer danced along Severus’s face as he grumbled, “As usual, the boy is being obtuse about the entire incident and refused to even speak of it.  So, unless _you_ intend to- “

 

“No,” Draco said, then winced as he realized he’d just interrupted his Godfather yet _again_ and was probably on the verge of truly annoying the man rather than just mildly irritating him.  “Sorry,” he muttered again, then continued, “But it would only make things worse.  Besides, they didn’t attack me, they attacked Har-Potter.”

 

Severus rolled his eyes and finally said, “Indeed.  Well, seeing as you will neither of you see reason in this matter, our only recourse is to place you elsewhere.  You’ll still be Slytherin by house and your points and merits will go to our house, but you will reside in Gryffindor tower with the Gryffindor 8th years.”

 

“Great,” Draco muttered.  When he felt his Godfather stiffen he sighed and forced himself to at least _try_ to be a little more grateful.  “I… thank you Sev.  I _do_ appreciate it.”

 

He just didn’t appreciate the idea of seeing Harry every single day any more than he imagined the idiot Gryffindor would appreciate seeing him.  Not to mention, Gryffindor wasn’t exactly likely to be friendly to him given his past history with them.

 

But it would be a good deal safer than Slytherin he knew.  He loved his house, but there were more than a few children of Death Eaters there and they’d all been giving him some rather vicious looks today.

 

Severus nodded and said, “Right, then you may wait here, and the Headmistress will be along in a few moments to take you to your new room.  All of your things have already been moved.”

 

Draco nodded and opened his mouth to say something more to his Godfather when he heard the door to the potion’s classroom open and the Headmistress said, “There’s no need for waiting, actually.  I’m here.”  She strode purposefully into the room, pointy hat bobbing slightly as she did.  Draco bit back the desire to gulp and hide behind Severus.  The woman looked anything but pleased…

 

Of course, not only was he _not_ turning in students that she must know from Severus had attacked her favourite Harry Potter, but she was being asked to now house Draco within the vaunted halls of her precious Gryffindor Tower.  Somehow, he doubted he’d be getting any points from her any time soon…

 

“If you are ready then Mr. Malfoy?” she said.

 

Draco almost jumped when he felt Severus surreptitiously touch his hand and give it a slight squeeze.  He took a deep breath and gave Sev’s hand a squeeze back before he focused on McGonagall.  “Yes ma’am, thank you,” he said with as much deference as he could.

 

McGonagall nodded and then said, “Severus,” by way of taking her leave of the Potions Master before she turned on her heel and led the way at a brisk pace.  Draco followed quickly behind her, surprised as always by how spritely and quick the older woman could move when she chose to.  Not a word was spoken as she led the way up several flights of stairs and Draco kept his attention on his feet and clutched his book-bag tight to his shoulder a he moved after her, trying not to picture what Harry’s face would look like when he found out who was to become his new tower-mate.

 

When they reached the portrait of a rather large woman sitting on a chaise, he nodded when McGonagall told him the password, ‘Victory’ (inwardly rolling his eyes, bloody Gryffindors) before he followed her into the little passageway and climbed into the Gryffindor common room.

 

Every ounce of conversation and light banter that had permeated the room, stopped the second that the two appeared.  He’d have loved to have attributed it to McGonagall, the woman was more intimidating than even Dumbledore had been, but he knew that it was the sight of he himself that caused every Gryffindor in the room to go silent.

 

Keeping his eyes on his feet to resist searching the room for a familiar, untidy mop of black, he listened with half an ear to McGonagall as she explained that Draco would be residing in Gryffindor Tower with the other 8th years in their special wing.  He heard a few gasps, several muttered protests, and could almost _feel_ the tension and dislike in the room pressing down on him.

 

Oh yeah.  This was going to be fantastic…

 

“As you know, the safety of every Hogwarts student is paramount at this school, regardless of House Affiliations.  In truth, I had considered putting all the 8th year students together prior to the start of term.  It’s well past time that we get past thinking of one another as the enemy.  I would like you all to think of Mr. Malfoy as an Ambassador to his house.”  Here, McGonagall glanced at him and added, “And Mr. Malfoy will behave as such.”

 

Draco heard the underlying ‘or else’ tacked in there and nodded once.  She didn’t have anything to worry about from him.

 

From her precious Gryffindors however…

 

“Right, this way Mr. Malfoy,” she said and turned to lead him up a set of stairs set off to the left of the large Fireplace.  He started to head after her when, against his will, his eyes slid up.

 

It was like the silver of his own was drawn like a magnet to dragon’s green… because there stood Harry.  The bane of his existence was looking straight at him with an unreadable expression on his face, surrounded by the Weasel and Weaslette and that annoying damned bushy hair, Granger.  Several other people were also closing ranks around Harry, moving closer to stand in front of him as though they thought that Draco was going to launch himself at their precious Savior and try to attack him right there.

 

But Draco couldn’t help noticing that Harry himself just stood there, watching him with that strange look in his eyes.  No hostility, no recrimination… just watching…

 

Then Draco nearly went sprawling on the first step of the stairs and the moment was gone (to the accompaniment of several Gryffindor snickers).  Cursing himself inwardly, he caught the railing and focused on following McGonagall up the stairs and down a corridor that smelled of new paint and magic.  She was reminding him that the rules for the 8th years (who were of age and therefore provided some additional freedoms younger classmates were not) were the same. He was still free to come and go to Hogsmeade at his leisure when not in class.  She reminded him that all 8th years were allowed out of class until their midnight curfew and informed him that the restricted section was now free for use without a permission slip.

 

He almost told her that Snape had informed his small group of Slytherin 8th years of all of this at the start of term, but really, he was still a little too terrified to speak to the older woman, so he just kept his mouth shut.  Best to just let her say her piece really.  Safer that way.

 

When she reached a door halfway down the hallway she turned abruptly and opened it.  The room was decorated like the rest of the tower, in garish red and gold with red velvet curtains over the four-poster bed and a gold bedspread. 

 

He could practically _feel_ her eyes watching him and waiting for him to make a comment.  So instead he merely inclined his head politely and said, “Thank you Headmistress.  This looks very nice.”

 

She gave a slight ‘harumph’, but her eyes did soften slightly.  Reaching out, she put a hand on his shoulder and said, “Touch the doorframe here Mr. Malfoy.”  When he touched where she indicated, he felt a spell pass over him and through the room.  When he glanced at her questioningly, she nodded and said, “Extra wards have been added to the room for your protection.  No one may enter this room now without your express permission.  You’ll be safe here, I assure you.”

 

He nodded his head in thanks and moved into the room.  Hearing a soft ‘mrowl’, he turned to see his cat coming toward him from across that ugly golden bedspread.  He smiled his first real smile since his Godfather had told him where he’d be spending his nights and reached out to caress a hand along the cat’s black head, saying softly, “Hey Alexander,” and earning a loud purr in return.

 

Feeling McGonagall’s eyes on him, he turned to see her eyeing him with a rather gentle expression.  Seeing that he was watching her, she nodded once, clearing her throat and then said, “Indeed, well if you need anything else Mr. Malfoy, you may come to either myself or Professor Snape.”

 

Draco nodded as he dropped his book-bag on the floor and sank down onto the bed.  “Thank you, Professor,” he said quietly. 

 

McGonagall nodded once and turned smartly on her heel to leave him.  She paused just before pulling the door shut, however, and turned back to him with a frown.  “I need not remind you, I hope, that regardless of your status as adults within the Wizarding Community, physical… er… fraternization… is frowned upon within the school.  That is…”  She was blushing.  Headmistress McGonagall was actually _blushing_ , but she seemed to force herself to go on, “Just… remember that there are impressionable younger students here Mr. Malfoy.  And conduct yourself accordingly.”

 

She nodded in agreement with herself before she turned and left.

 

Draco blinked at the closed door for a long time, wondering what in the name of Merlin the woman was on about.  It wasn’t like Harry was going to let him within 10 meters of him and he certainly wasn’t going to be trying to hit on any of the other Gryffindors! 

 

Cursing softly, he reached over and picked up Alexander, pulling him into his lap.  He sighed and said, “Well… what’ve we gotten ourselves into now huh?”

 

The cat just began to purr loudly and butt his head into Draco’s hand for pets.  Draco laughed sardonically and pet the cat tenderly, muttering, “Yes, thanks Alex.  Very helpful.”  He pet the cat for a moment more before finally nodding and saying, “Right… well first things first… let’s see if we can make this place a little more livable hmm?”

 

He nodded in agreement with himself and within moments, he’d started transfiguring all that garish red and gold to something a little more palatable…


	6. Chapter 6

~*~*~ Chapter Six ~*~*~

 

Harry already had all of his things packed into his book-bag and was sitting on the edge of his seat when Flitwick said that class was dismissed.  He’d forgotten exactly how many classes the 8th years were taking with other Houses.  As it wasn’t a full year for any of them, most classes were a mesh of Houses, and Gryffindor and Slytherin were combined on almost every subject.

 

Which meant that he’d been sitting there at a table with Seamus trying unsuccessfully to non-verbally make a Teddy Bear stand up on its own and walk down to shake Flitwick’s hand.  Hermione, of course, had already had her Teddy Bear bowing to the little Professor and then doing a little twirl before coming back to her, and most of the others had at least gotten theirs to move round a bit…

 

All Harry had been able to do was change his previously brown and tan Teddy Bear into something resembling a Polar Bear when he changed its fur to white-gold.  He blamed the fact that he was seated directly across from Malfoy (who had of course been just as adept as Hermione and had already completed his task). 

 

The second that the final syllable of ‘dismissed’ slid from Flitwick’s mouth, Harry was out of his seat and heading for the door.  He was almost through it when Flitwick called out, “Oh, Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy.”  Harry stopped dead in his tracks, feeling all the colour drain from his face.  He turned to see that Malfoy was only a few steps behind him, apparently having been just as eager to leave as Harry was.

 

For a moment, their eyes locked and Harry felt his stomach tie into knots of apprehension…  Apprehension and something else that felt a great deal like _need_.  He actually found himself moving a step closer, mouth opening to say something-

 

Before he could say he knew not what, Flitwick announced, “Professor McGonagall has asked me to remind you both that you will be serving your first detention tonight.  Please report to Professor Snape’s office immediately after dinner.”

 

Harry caught sight of Flitwick smiling gently at him before the little Professor turned and began to clear away the slightly fried stuffing of Seamus’s once-was-a-Teddy-Bear.

 

Harry looked back at Malfoy and once again their eyes locked.  He opened and closed his mouth several times, no words forming… and then Ron shoved none-too-gently past Malfoy and took his arm, saying, “C’mon mate,” and pulling him out of the classroom and toward the Great Hall.

 

Harry allowed Ron to guide him along for several moments before he managed to get hold of himself.  He swallowed tightly and finally looked over at his best mate… then winced more at the look on his face.  Right.  He had sort of been avoiding both Ron and Hermione and that never went over well with either of them. 

 

“Ah… right… Ron I-“

 

“Think Hermione’ll let me borrow her Transfiguration essay for the last few inches I need to get on mine?” Ron interrupted him, his eyes fixed straight ahead and his pace never slowing.

 

Harry glanced over at him and Ron’s eyes flicked to his for a moment before sliding away quickly.  Harry winced and pulled his book-bag higher on his shoulder as he said, “Does she ever?”

 

Ron gave a slight huff and grumbled, “You’d think now we’re dating she’d be a little more open with it.  Give a bloke a little more help now and again, aye?”

 

“Actually, now you’re dating I reckon she’ll be even more determined you do it on your own to show she’s not _actually_ dating a troll,” Harry muttered.

 

Ron barked out a laugh and grumbled, “Probably right about that.  Bloody nuisance.  Just had to go for the smart girl.”

 

Harry smirked a little and shook his head, “As if you’d have her any other way.”

 

Ron’s eyes got a slightly glazed look about them at that and he shifted his own book-bag, smiling a little as he said, “You’re right about that… wouldn’t change ‘er for the world.”  He let out a sigh of pleasure and continued on, a slightly dreamy little smile on his face.

 

Harry shifted.  It was nice to be carrying on a comfortable conversation with his best mate.  They’d barely said two words to each other since Ron and Hermione had found he and Malfoy.  And he knew that he should just be grateful that they were speaking and leave it at that…

 

Except that he knew that the easy banter was hiding something… and he’d promised himself after the war that he wouldn’t keep things from his best mates ever again.  He needed them, he’d have never gotten anywhere without them.  And shutting them out now…

 

Licking his lips, he said, “Ron… look… about Malfoy…”  He saw Ron’s shoulders stiffen and the easy expression on his face disappeared.  Harry winced at that but continued on doggedly.  “I… look mate I know it’s not… I know he’s not… and I know it’s weird and possibly mad but- “

 

“Look Harry,” Ron interrupted, finally stopping just outside the Great Hall and pulling Harry off to the side.  He kept his eyes on the ground rather than on Harry’s face, but went on just as doggedly as Harry had (if a little less incoherently), “I’m not gonna pretend to understand it.  I mean, you’n Ginny breakin’ up, sure.  You explained all yer reasons an she explained ‘bout she an Neville an how close they’d got last year so I get all that.  Fine.  Ain’t even tried ta kill the blighter though I bloody well should have when I caught him snoggin ‘er the other day.”  Harry barked out an surprised laugh at that and Ron smiled slightly before he sighed and went on, “Hermione’n I… well we talked about it.  She reckons there’s always been somethin’ bout Malfoy that… drew ya I guess.  After 6th year, even I noticed it.  An I won’t claim ta like it because I bloody well don’t but-”

 

The redhead finally looked up, his blue eyes locking with Harry’s, “I just… I want ya ta be careful alright?  If ‘e makes ya happen then fine.  I’ll…” he gulped and shifted and finally said, “I’ll put up with him.  But… well… just be careful with it all. I mean… once a Ferret, always a Ferret aye?”

 

Harry licked his lips several times, then suddenly rushed forward and pulled his friend into a tight hug.  He squeezed him until Ron gave a little squeak and said softly, “Thank you Ron.”

 

Ron shifted uncomfortably in his arms before finally giving him a squeeze back.  He sighed and said, “Aye well, s’what brothers do aye?”

 

Harry felt tears licking at the corners of his eyes and blinked rapidly to keep them at bay.  Giving his friend one last squeeze, he nodded and said, “Aye, that’s what brother’s do.”

 

Ron nodded as well as they pulled back.  He looked away, blushing up to the tips of his ears, then cleared his throat and said, “Mind, if the bloody Ferret makes _one_ Mudblood comment ta Hermione I’ll- “

 

“Oh, I’ll help you hex him straight into the floor,” Harry agreed.

 

Ron blinked at him, then smiled a broad smile and lifted his book-bag higher onto his shoulder.  He nodded and said, “Right then.  How, how’s’about we get somethin ta eat aye?  Bloody well starvin I am!” before he pushed his way into the Great Hall to find an open spot near Hermione. 

 

Harry smiled slightly as he stood there watching him for a moment, shaking his head at how he could’ve possibly gotten so lucky as to find such amazing friends.

 

Or at least he _was_ smiling, until he nearly hit the floor as someone shouldered past him hard enough to knock the wind from him.  He turned to glare at the person and ask what their problem was, when he saw that it was Nott.  And there was something about the look in his eyes as he looked back at Harry that made his blood run cold…

 

Nott continued on his way to the Slytherin table and sank down and Harry, realizing he was still standing in the doorway, shifted and moved forward to take his seat with his friends.  It was past time that he tell them about what had happened… or at least what he could remember of it, as regarded Nott, Zabini and Bulstrode.  The stuff about Draco… well he was still figuring that bit out.

 

He was so focused on his friends and what he would and wouldn’t tell them that he didn’t see that Draco had half risen from his seat during the silent confrontation between he and Nott and already had his wand in his hand.  When he did glance toward the Slytherin table (unable to resist), it was to see that the blonde was sitting at the end of the table with only Parkinson and Goyle and had his head down, focused on his meal.

 

Harry sighed and sank down at his place beside Hermione, focusing on she and Ron as he said, “Listen guys, I need to tell you something…” before putting up a silencing charm around them and giving them the details of what had happened with the trio currently glaring at him over their pies…


	7. Chapter 7

~*~*~ Chapter 7 ~*~*~

 

Draco was already in front of his Godfather’s classroom when he felt more than heard Harry coming up behind him.  He shifted a little, licking his lips against the desire to turn and look at the brunette.  He did too much damned ‘looking’ at Harry Potter as it was damnit.

 

Reaching up a thin, pale hand, he knocked brusquely on the door and moved in quickly at the abrupt, ‘Enter’ from the other side of the door.  Stepping into the oh-so-familiar classroom, he moved up to Snape’s desk and stood before it, shoulders rounded and face as expressionless as the snarky Potions Master’s, even when he saw Potter move up beside him.

 

Snape continued to go through the lesson plans he was working on, allowing Draco and Harry to stand there.  Draco knew this tactic, it was one his Godfather was fond of.  It had helped him to learn patience when he was a child.

 

Apparently, Harry never got that memo…

 

“We’re here for our detention Professor,” Potter said after several moments of silence.

 

Draco’s godfather, unsurprisingly, rolled his eyes without looking up and said, “Your ability to state the obvious never does fail to surprise me Mr. Potter.  I await with bated breath the day that your observational skills manage to extend to something more useful.”

 

“You might want to re-think that last bit sir,” Harry said in tones of utter politeness.  “I’d hate to be the cause of your suffocation.”

 

Draco bit back a snort and noticed that his Godfather’s lips twitched slightly before he reshaped his expression into one of disdain as he finally glanced up at the pair of them.  “7 years and you’ve still not managed to contain that cheek hmm?”  He glanced at Draco with an expression that clearly said, ‘Whatever you see in him, it is beyond me,’ before he finished the line of notes that he was working on and stood.

 

“The both of you follow me,” he said and turned in a swish of robes that Draco had practiced in front of a mirror a hundred times trying to emulate and had never quite managed it. 

 

He and Harry followed Severus without another word as he led them through the dungeons and up several flights of stairs… and then several more… and several _more_ until they finally reached the Tower and pushed through to the Divination classroom.  By this point, both of the young Wizards were breathing a little heavily, but Severus seemed to be as steady as ever.  If Draco hadn’t seen how white his already-pale skin had grown and the slight sheen of sweat on his brow, he’d have thought the man was completely unaffected.

 

He knew better.  The fight with Nagini had left its mark on the older Wizard in more than just scars.  He was about to move forward as surreptitiously as possible and offer his arm to his Godfather, when Harry surprised him by moving first.

 

“You could’ve simply told us whut we were to do up here Sir.  There wasn’t any need for you to come all this way,” Harry grumbled as he moved to push the startled Potions Master into a seat.

 

Severus and Draco both blinked at the Wizard as he transfigured a cup and filled it with a quick Aguamenti spell before pushing it into Severus’s long-fingered hand.  Once he was done, he stepped back and looked around the classroom with a bored expression, as though the moment had never happened.

 

Draco held his breath, waiting for the blow-up… but Severus shocked him just as much as Harry had by merely taking a sip of the water and giving himself a moment to catch his breath.  Draco was absolutely positive that he would never _ever_ understand these two…

 

Once he’d regained his breath, Severus nodded and said, “As you know, Professor Trelawny has decided to take an indefinite leave of absence from the school and left the teaching Divination to the Centaur Firenze.  Something about the Sprits of the Beyond aiding her in healing her ‘darling Gilderoy’.”  Snape sneered, “I truly did not wish to know.”  He crossed his arms over his chest and said, “But in point of fact, her absence does give us the opportunity to go through this classroom and to not only take inventory, but to repurpose it.  I will, in fact, be making use of it for potion ingredient storage and as a training lab for my new for my new apprentice.”

 

Draco, who’d been trying to concentrate on his Godfather’s words rather than the sickeningly sweet scent of incense that still permeated the room, focused completely at those words and whipped his head toward Snape so fast that he got a crick in his neck.  Severus was watching him with a hooded expression, and when the older Wizard saw the naked avarice in Draco’s gaze, his lip curled into a smirk.  “Yes Mr. Malfoy, I have decided to take on an apprentice after this year.  Whom that individual will be is yet to be determined, though I will begin accepting applications after the Christmas holidays.”

 

He went on as though he hadn’t just given Draco the answer to a bloody _dream_ and said, “But, obviously this room will not be adequate as it is.  All of the desks and chairs, along with these,” he sneered and fingered a nearby pouf as though it had offended him, “things… must be transfigured into book and potion shelves.  The fireplace must be connected by floo to my own office and classroom.  Additionally, the room will have to be expanded and proper equipment brought in.”  He sniffed and said, “Not to mention being aired out.”

 

He nodded and stood, dusting invisible lint from his robes as he said, “For your detention, three nights a week the two of you will come up here to complete this task.  I have plans for how the room should look when it is completed laid out,” he drew a rolled parchment from his robes with a flourish and laid them down on a desk.  Nodding to them he said, “You may begin,” before turning to head out, adding over his shoulder, “You are required to continue working until at least 10pm to serve your detention.  Should you decide to stay longer, remember your curfew and do not let me catch you out after midnight.”  He nodded and disappeared with a swish of robes.

 

Draco blinked after his Godfather as though the man had gone quite mad.  He had to be joking.  Really… he _had_ to be.  Because no way in Hades was he really expecting to just leave Draco and Harry there alone when he knew bloody well that being alone with Draco had to be the _last_ thing that Harry wanted.

 

Yet his footsteps kept descending the tower stairs and he didn’t turn round to proclaim the whole thing a joke, and Draco knew that leaving the two of them alone together was _exactly_ what Severus meant to do.

 

He’d be short a Godfather when he got his hands on the bastard…

 

Licking his lips, he finally turned to look at Harry, but the other Wizard was studiously _not_ looking at him.  Fantastic.  This should be fun.

 

Biting back a curse, he pulled off his book-bag and tossed it down onto a nearby pouf before muttering, “Right, think I need some air,” and moved to force a window open to hopefully air out the bloody place enough to be able to think.

 

Because that was likely when all he wanted to do was drag the idiot Gryffindor into his arms and never let him go…


	8. Chapter 8

~*~*~ Chapter 8 ~*~*~

 

It had been nearly two hours since Draco had first moved to open the window and they’d not said a word to each other.  They’d both bent to their tasks, starting by unspoken agreement with spells to air the place out and then working on transfiguring the desks and chairs. 

 

It might have gone on like that all night if Draco hadn’t opened a drawer, screamed like a little boy, and scrambled backward so fast he slammed into Harry and nearly toppled the both of them over a pouf.

 

Keeping his arms protectively tight around the other wizard’s middle, Harry exclaimed, “What?!  What’s wrong?!”

 

The other man didn’t move for so long that Harry began to wonder if he’d been hurt, but then he very slowly cleared his throat and said, “I… s-sorry.  There was… I wasn’t expecting…”  He audibly gulped and then said, “There’s a snake in that drawer.”

 

Harry blinked down at Malfoy’s golden head (Malfoy’s back was to his front and he was half on the pouf and half in Harry’s arms), then over to the drawer, then back again.

 

And then, very slowly and trying extremely hard not to laugh, Harry said, “Your ah… you’re scared of snakes?”

 

Draco turned his head to glower at him while making a move to extricate himself from Harry’s arms.  Harry, realizing that he should probably have let the other Wizard up a while ago, flushed and quickly shifted to help him up. 

 

Ignoring the way that Malfoy was now carefully smoothing down his shirt as though he hadn’t just let out a shriek that most men couldn’t produce at his age, Harry moved forward to look into the desk.  A slight grin danced over his lips at the sight of the white python laying curled up beneath what was obviously a warming charm.  He just couldn’t help it.  The idea that the Ice Prince of Slytherin, the most Slytherin of all the Slytherins, was scared of snakes was just too ridiculous for words.  It humanized him in ways that he hadn’t expected.  Not to mention Harry’s entire body was still tingling with warmth from having held him…

 

The grin died, however, when he saw the snake shift slightly and he realized that the snake must belong to Trelawny, and that the batty old witch had obviously just left it there when she’d taken off.

 

“What… who in the bloody hell just takes off and leaves their pet?!” Harry asked, reaching into the drawer.  He saw Draco wince from the corner of his eye but ignored it as he bent toward the snake and said, “ _Hey, are you alright?”_

 

The snake lifted its head slowly and looked up at him.  Its tongue flicked the air once, then again, before it slowly raised further from the drawer and said huskily, “ _Hungry…_ ”

 

Harry shook his head and held out his arm for the snake to curl around, saying, “ _Of course you are.  Trelawny left ages ago!_ ”  He let the snake curl up his arm and over his shoulder before turning and saying, “ _Here, hang on.  I think I can… ah, there we are.”_   He nodded and moved into a corner with a crystal ball.  “ _This’ll do I think_ ,” he said and then closed his eyes for a moment, working to remember the correct wand movement, before he murmured the incantation and a moment later there sat a fat mouse roughly the same size as the crystal ball. 

 

Harry nodded and reached up to take the snake from his shoulder, saying, “ _There you are.  Eat up.”_

 

The snake considered him, then the mouse, then him… then it’s tongue flicked out to caress along Harry’s cheek before it said, “ _Thankss Master,”_ and slithered down, jaws already snapping.

 

Harry frowned slightly at the ‘Master’ but then decided to let it go.  The poor thing was probably half delirious with hunger if it’d been stuck in that damned drawer for so long.  As Harry wasn’t particularly keen on watching the mouse meet its demise, regardless of the fact that he’d created it specifically for that purpose, he turned round and stood…

 

And only then did he see the look of pure, unadulterated _lust_ on Draco’s face.  The other man looked as though he were holding himself in place by force of will alone and actually had a white-knuckled grip on the desk behind him.

 

Harry felt his stomach do a flip-flop at that look.  It was a look that he’d never imagined he’d see on Draco Malfoy’s face when directed at him… and yet a look which seemed oddly familiar for reasons he couldn’t comprehend. 

 

Shifting a little, he rubbed the back of his neck and said, “I ah… at first after the war I thought I lost the ability to speak Parseltongue, but it came back after a while.”  He shrugged sheepishly and said, “I… well I always rather liked snakes and- “

 

Draco held up a hand and growled, “Just… just stop talking, alright Har-Potter?” as he closed his eyes, hands clenching into fists at his sides.

 

Harry swallowed tightly.  He was rather thick sometimes, especially when it came to emotions, but there could be no denying what he was seeing on Draco’s face.  He may not understand it, but he did recognize it.  He’d felt the same way when looking at the Slytherin a few times.  When he’d be sitting with his friends and laugh or when they’d both been chasing after the snitch…

 

His feet were moving without his giving them permission to do so.  He stepped closer to the other Wizard, drawn toward those panting breaths, the beads of sweat on his brow… it was like there was a pheromone that only Draco had ever emitted, and it was calling to Harry… which was fucking crazy considering what had happened the other day…

 

But regardless of all of that insanity of waking up in the other man’s arms without remembering the details, it didn’t make him want Draco any less than he had before…  And even as he fought with himself over how crazy it was to want a man who, as far as he could remember, had taken advantage of him while he’d been completely incapacitated…

 

Want him he did.

 

Reaching out with a trembling hand, he held it just above Draco’s chest for a heartbeat… then another…

 

Then he let his fingers slide to his chest directly over his heart.


	9. Chapter 9

~*~*~ Chapter 9 ~*~*~

 

Draco had never liked snakes.  He’d been bitten by one when he was 8 years old and ever since then they creeped him out.  He didn’t mind that the symbol of his House was a snake of course, but that was different.  The snakes on his crest weren’t real.  They didn’t move and slither and get all… creepy.

 

But snakes being slithery and hearing Harry speak Parseltongue were two _very_ different things.  The sound of those hissing tones dancing through the air hit him straight in the groin and he knew if he didn’t get control of himself, he was going to do something incredibly stupid… like stopping Potter’s stupid hissing mouth by sticking his tongue down his hissing throat.

 

He was trying his damndest to get his libido under control, counting in his head, picturing horrible images like Umbridge naked… whatever he could do-

 

When he felt that hot hand on his chest.

 

His eyes popped open and he saw that somehow, Harry was directly in front of him rather than across the room.  He sucked in a breath, not sure whether it was shock or an increase in his lust… or both… and looked at the Gryffindor hungrily, waiting for the other Wizard to start cursing him.

 

Except that Harry’s dragon eyes were looking at him with something that very much resembled need as well…

 

“Malfoy,” the raven-haired man said huskily.  He licked his far-too-enticing lips, as though working up the courage to speak, which was completely crazy because he had defeated fucking Voldemort in one-to-one combat and so courage was the last thing he’d be lacking.  Then he let out a soft breath and said slowly, “I… I remember something.  All my memories from the other night are… they’re blurry and unfocused but I remember- “.  The other man shifted, his eyes now studying his fingers where they rested on Draco’s chest.  He took a deep breath but then seemed to find that Gryffindor courage of his and went on doggedly, “I remember the other three… Nott and Zabini and Bulstrode… I remember them attacking me in the bathroom.  I remember them dragging me out and into an empty classroom…” 

 

His eyes finally slid up to Draco’s.  Silver met green and held for the space of a century before Harry finally went on, “And I remember you fighting them off of me and helping me to run.”  He licked those lips that Draco remembered tasting so many times, making every ounce of need the Slytherin felt only double. 

 

Then he said huskily, “Did I imagine that Draco… was it real?”

 

The sound of his given name on Harry’s lips hit him straight in the gut and he whimpered huskily.  His head fell back slightly, and he felt like Potter was seducing him all over again.  It wasn’t quite as wild this time, no ripping of his clothes and desperate pleas for him, yet it was no less debilitating.

 

And if this wound up being another fucking dream like he’d been having every damned night since it had happened, he was going to find a way to curse himself into a sleeping spell so that he never woke up.

 

“Yes,” he finally managed to croak out.  He cleared his throat and tried again, saying, “Yes… that was real.”

 

Harry met his eyes for a long time, searching for something that Draco couldn’t begin to name… then he whispered, “Then thank you.”

 

And then he was, impossibly, leaning up and Draco was leaning down, and their lips met with all the certainty of destiny.

 

Draco let out a moan… or maybe it was Harry… and then he caught hold of the back of the other man’s head and pulled him tighter against him, mouth moving hungrily over those fucking lips he’d wanted for longer than he cared to remember.  “Harry,” he groaned into his mouth, tongue dueling desperately with that of the man he loved.

 

Harry melted against him, there was no other word for the way that the dark-haired Savior simply slid and molded against his body in every possible _right_ way that there was.  Harry now had both hands in his shirt and was clutching at him like he was a lifeline and Draco whimpered his name and pulled him tighter.  He couldn’t believe that this was happening, that Harry Bloody Potter was kissing him with all of his mental faculties intact.  He wanted to pinch himself because he couldn’t possibly _really_ be kissing Harry again.  The damned man thought that he’d been a part of that curse, thought that he’d used him…

 

Yet Draco had no intention of pinching himself awake.  He had no intention of doing any damned thing that might stop those glorious lips from their hungry attack at his own.

 

When they both finally parted for air, Draco pressed his forehead against Harry’s and clung to him, trembling and desperate.  And without realizing what he was doing, he whispered, “Don’t be a dream… don’t be a dream… don’t be a dream…”

 

He felt rather than saw Harry smile and heard him say in a voice gone rough with desire, “No dream, not unless we’re sharing it,” before he wrapped his arms around Draco and pressed his head tenderly against his shoulder as though it was most natural thing in the world to do.

 

Draco closed his eyes and moved to sink down into a chair, pulling Harry with him.  The Gryffindor came along willingly, his arms wrapped tight around him, as though he felt the same horror at the thought of being separated that Draco did.  And when Draco sank down into the chair, Harry sat down with him into his lap.  It was a strange position, Draco might be taller, but Harry was broader and more muscular… yet it felt right none-the-less.  It felt… inevitable.

 

Curling in close against him like a cat seeking warmth, Harry said, “Tell me what happened that night, please.  I can only remember bits and pieces but I…” he swallowed and looked up at Draco, his expression strangely vulnerable, before he said, “I just don’t think you saved me from those three only to...”

 

He trailed off and Draco understood.  And he knew that he’d be finding his Godfather and _kissing_ the grumpy old blighter after this.  All that he’d wanted since it had happened was a chance to explain himself, but he’d never imagined that Harry would give him the opportunity.  He’d wanted to reassure the stupid Gryffindor that he hadn’t intended to hurt him like that and that he’d certainly never take the damned story to the Prophet (as though that would do anything for his family’s tattered reputation except make it worse).  He’d wanted to simply have the chance to apologize.

 

And now he finally had it.

 

So, he curled Harry tighter against him… and told him everything.


	10. Chapter 10

~*~*~ Chapter 10 ~*~*~

 

They were almost late for curfew by the time the two wizards finally left the room and headed back to Gryffindor Tower.  Draco offered to go first so that Harry wouldn’t have to walk in with him.

 

Harry had told him he was an idiot, kissed him, and resolutely held his hand through the halls, down the corridors, and into the tower.

 

Draco was blushing to the tips of his ears, but he didn’t let go of Harry’s hand either.  And when they stepped into the common room and the few Gryffindors still awake at that hour looked up, their eyes immediately going to the entwined fingers of two men who had been known rivals for nearly a decade, Harry just threw his head back and stared them down, daring them to say a word.

 

All eyes returned to what they’d been doing within seconds.

 

Harry nodded and then turned back to Draco, seeing that he looked a little dumbfounded, as though he was still waiting to wake up, but he was clinging to Harry’s hand like a lifeline regardless.  Harry smiled and gave his hand a squeeze before looking around the room for Ron and Hermione.  They were always up late, Hermione with homework and revisions and Ron pretending to do homework and revisions. 

 

Catching sight of them on their favourite couch by the fire, Harry pulled Draco forward, ignoring that, when Draco caught sight of whom he was leading him toward, Draco tried to dig in his heels and protest. Harry had what he’d wanted for ages.  He had Draco.  And he wasn’t about to hide a damned thing from either his friends or any other nosy buggers who thought they had a say in the matter.  Draco, for some insane reason, wanted him as much as Harry wanted Draco.  The rest of the world could bugger off with their opinions as far as he was concerned.

 

He closed his eyes in pleasure as his thoughts skated over the last couple of hours.  They’d snogged (rather a lot) but had spent most of the time talking.  Draco had helped him to make sense of the fuzzy memories in his brain and sort them into a coherent whole…

 

And Gods what a whole those memories made.  By turns humiliating and devastatingly sensual.  And sure, he may not have necessarily wanted his first time to be based on a damned curse, but in the end, he’d gotten what he wanted.  He’d gotten Draco.  So, he wasn’t about to complain.

 

Sinking down onto the couch beside Hermione, Harry tugged until Draco sat with him.  He slid in as close to the other Wizard as possible, their hands never once tugging free, and said casually, “So, it seems as though Trelawny isn’t going to be coming back.  Our detentions will be spent repurposing that ghastly room into a potions lab.  Oh, Hermione, I’ll need your help with part of it.  Snape wants us to connect the floo in that classroom to the one in his office and the potions classroom.  It won’t be linked anywhere else, so it should be fine but still, I don’t think we’re even going to go over the concept until round Christmas and we’re meant to be done before then.”

 

It wasn’t until he’d stopped speaking that he realized that Hermione was sitting there with a cup of tea halfway to her lips and Ron looked as though he’d been hit with an immobulus mid-yawn, arms stretched half upward toward the ceiling…

 

Harry shifted, frowning slightly as he said, “Ah… orrr not.  I mean, I’m sure Draco and I can figure it out…”

 

Ron began to choke on his own spit and Hermione put down her tea with a clatter of china and began to thump him on the back.

 

Great.  This was going well so far…

 

Draco cursed low under his breath and tried to extricate his hand from Harry’s as he said, “I should… I should probably go and- “

 

“No,” Hermione said, still banging Ron’s back, “No it’s ok Malf- er… I mean Draco.” 

 

Ron’s face was going slightly purple as he continued coughing.

 

Harry sighed and pulled out his wand, pointed it at his best mate, and hit him in the face with an aguamenti.  Ron spluttered and cursed and writhed around wildly… but when the deluge ended, he was at least breathing again.

 

“You said you were ok with it Ron,” Harry said, still holding his wand but feeling a little hurt despite himself.

 

Ron shifted slightly, wiping his hand down his soaked face, and said in a voice gone husky from coughing, “I… I _am_ mate.  S’just… well I just wasn’t expectin’…”  The redhead finally cursed and grumbled, “A lil more warning would’ve been nice is all.”

 

Harry rolled his eyes, “Damn near walking in on us starkers wasn’t enough warning for you?”

 

Ron blushed to match his hair and coughed a few more times before he and glowered at Harry, though there was no real heat in it.  “Look s’not my fault that it’s a little odd seein ya holdin hands with him an such.  You’ve been actin’ like ya don’t see one another up til now an…”  He glowered at Harry, “Like I said, a… lil more warning would’ve been nice.”

 

Harry smirked and shook his head, “Right.  Next time I’ll hang a sign.”  He nodded to Hermione and said, “So, you’ve a spell for the floo I’m sure?”

 

Hermione was already rummaging through her undetectably extended book-bag and grumbling about how she needed to re-order the library.  Her head was nearly completely inside the bag before she finally popped back up and said, “Ah ha!  There you are.”  Sitting back holding a rather _huge_ tome that it didn’t seem like she should be able to keep her grip on, Hermione nodded and said, “What you need should be in here,” before she turned and handed the book to Draco, saying, “It’s a long and complex spell.  Not _as_ complex as connecting to an outside floo thankfully, then you’d need Ministry approval and all that rubbish, but it’s still not an easy spell to work.”  She began to put away all of her books and parchment, adding absently, “Don’t let Harry near it hmm?”

 

“Oi!” Harry said, sitting up straighter and glowering at his best friend, “I’ll have you know that there are those who think I’m the most powerful Wizard alive.”

 

Hermione rolled her eyes at him, “And if it was just _power_ you needed then you’d be right as rain.  But spells like this also take patience, concentration and a delicate touch, which is neither your forte nor Ron’s.”

 

“Oi!” he and Ron said in unison.

 

Draco, however, seemed to have relaxed with every word that Hermione spoke and was now leaning back with his arm draped over the back of the couch behind Harry while his free hand flipped through the book.  “Thanks Granger.  You saved me a trip to the library tomorrow.”  He glanced up, silver eyes dancing with amusement, and added, “Don’t worry, I’ll keep him focused on transfiguring poufs.”

 

Harry switched to glowering at both of them now and sat back with his arms crossed over his chest like a petulant little child. 

 

Hermione laughed and leaned over to press a kiss to Harry’s cheek before she turned to her boyfriend and said, “Come on Ron.  Now that Harry’s back safe I want to get some sleep.”  Reaching out, she took Ron’s hand and pulled him, unprotestingly, up.  Leaning forward, she pressed a gentle kiss along his lips before saying over her shoulder, “G’nite Harry.  G’nite Mal-Draco…” and headed off with Ron to the bedroom they shared.  They’d been assigned their own rooms of course, but that hadn’t even lasted a night. 

 

Harry had actually envied them that.  After so long living in one another’s pockets, it was strange going to bed without hearing their breathing slowly evening out to help lull him to sleep.

 

Of course, considering how often he woke from sleep covered in sweat and screaming (and that was before the three Slytherins had attacked him) it was probably best he was on his own.

 

Turning to Draco, who was already engrossed in his reading, Harry glowered and said, “Having me focus on poufs will you?”

 

One corner of the blonde’s mouth curled into a grin, but he kept his eyes steadfastly on the pages before him as he said, “Poufs for the poof Potter.  Now pipe down idiot Gryffindor, I’m trying to find the right mphf-“

 

Harry decided that he could get used to being able to silence Malfoy’s snark in such a manner while his mouth devoured that of the man before him, the oh-so-interesting book falling, forgotten, to the floor seconds later with a soft ‘thud’.


	11. Chapter 11

~*~*~ Chapter 11 ~*~*~

 

“I believe that my instructions were rather clear, were they not?” the shadowy figure standing just outside the Hogwarts wards said to the younger man before him.

 

Nott shifted slightly.  He tried to pretend that nothing affected him or made him nervous… but he’d be lying if he said that this man wasn’t far too intimidating for his peace of mind.

 

Trying to keep his expression disdainful he said, “They _were_ clear, and we did exactly what you told us to.  We just weren’t expecting to be interrupted by your bloody son, now were we?”

 

Lucius stepped forward, his slate grey eyes the colour of a stormy night sky.  “Are you attempting to blame your incompetence upon my son Nott?” he asked in a tone of deadly calm.

 

Theo shifted slightly from foot to foot, not wanting to appear weak but at the same time feeling… less than comfortable with the way that Malfoy Sr. was looking at him.  “Well I just… I mean he came and bloody saved the bastard, didn’t he?  And now he’s living in Gryffindor Tower like some kind of- “

 

Nott’s words were cut off by the pain that suddenly began to scream through his body.  He hit the ground, writhing in agony and howling into the Forrest around him, not that it did any good as Malfoy had put up a bubble of silence around them.  Not to mention that even if there had been anyone to hear, his cohorts weren’t exactly known to rush in and help their fellows…

 

“My son,” Lucius said in the same low, deadly-calm voice, “has been bewitched by that bastard Potter.  I thought ensuring Draco was marked would help but- “

 

He broke off, seeming to realize suddenly that he was explaining himself to an underling.  The crucio let up and Nott remained on the ground, gasping for breath with his forehead pressed to the forest floor.

 

Lucius leaned down, his eyes dark with malice as he growled, “I will _not_ have the name of Malfoy besmirched by that pathetic excuse for a ‘chosen one’.  I will not see my son brought down by him.”  He caught hold of Nott’s chin and lifted it up slowly, eyes nearly black as they took him in and he growled, “And you _will_ rid me of that half-blood freak, or I’ll rid myself of you and find someone more capable.  Do you understand Nott?”

 

Theodore swallowed tightly but gave up his pretense of indifference and carelessness.  Lucius Malfoy had become an unregistered animagi under the Dark Lord’s very nose and had escaped Azkaban without anyone realizing it while in his black vulture form.  He’d left a guard in his cell, crucio’d into insanity by the guard’s own wand and under a permanent disguise to look like Lucius in case anyone came to check on him.

 

The blonde was far more powerful than anyone had ever guessed when he’d been sniveling at the Dark Lord’s side and mucking up orders.  Orders, it now appeared, he’d _intended_ to muck up so that he could be rid of Voldemort once and for all…

 

No, Theo had no intention of going against Lucius Malfoy.  The man was as dark as he was powerful, and he wasn’t to be denied.

 

“I understand,” Nott finally said, still panting from the pain ricocheting through his cells.

 

Lucius nodded and released his face, slowly standing up straight again. 

 

“Good.  Now,” Lucius smiled almost gently down at him, “this time, let’s see if you can’t do a little better, hmm?”  Reaching into his elegant black robes (even in hiding the bastard dressed like he was going to a Ministry Ball), Lucius pulled out two stoppered vials and held them out to Nott.

 

Theo took the vials warily and said, “What are they?”

 

Lucius smiled almost pleasantly as he said, “Well, as I understand it, Potter has broken off with his _Weasley_ girlfriend due to the fact that he is a pathetic poof.”

 

~Yeah, just like your pathetic son~ Nott thought, but wisely kept it to himself.

 

Lucius nodded as though Nott had agreed with him and said, “Well, I think my son will find him far less interesting if the boy bloats up with someone else’s bastard, don’t you?”  Lucius chuckled and said, “As I understand it, he is rather close with that _Weasley_ boy.” 

 

Nott opened his mouth to explain that he was fairly sure they weren’t together like that, in fact he was pretty sure the blood traitor was with the mudblood, but before he could Lucius went on, “You’ll give the Weasley boy the red vial… a powerful love potion.  And then you’ll give Potter the blue.”  Lucius leaned back, arms crossed over his chest in a very pleased looking fashion.  “Draco will see the error of his ways when he finds out that Potter will be fathering Weasley’s bastard.  He’ll get far away from him… and then you’ll bring him to me.”

 

Malfoy’s eyes darkened as he moved closer, his expression suddenly menacing as he growled, “You will _only_ bring him to me, do you understand Nott?  No harm is to come to my child.”

 

Nott bit back the desire to glower.  _He_ was willing to act in the name of Pureblood ideals.  _He_ was taking all the risks and fighting on the right side.  _He_ had even sought out Lucius when he’d heard through less than reputable sources that the man was escaped.

 

Yet it was that pathetic, whining, ponce of a child that Malfoy Sr. wanted back. 

 

Forcing himself to appear calm and obedient, he nodded and said, “Yes.  No harm to Draco.”

 

Lucius nodded, and then his expression softened, and he reached out to caress a hand along Theo’s cheek.  The Nott Heir wanted to move back, to be offended… but he couldn’t help leaning into that touch as Malfoy said, “Don’t worry Theodore.  You’ll be rewarded when this is all over.  When the dust settles, when my son is back at my side, you’ll take your place there as well.”

 

Theo swallowed tightly, licking his lips and trying to calm his racing heart.  There had always been rumours of Veela blood lurking in the background of the Malfoy line, explaining their ethereal beauty.  It would explain the way that the bastard and his son affected him…

 

Not to mention the power.  He didn’t know what Lucius had done to gain such power, but it practically rolled off of him in waves.  And Theo _wanted_ that power. 

 

Nodding his head, he said, “I won’t let you down again.”

 

Lucius nodded, cupping Theo’s face between his hands as he said, “I know you won’t Theodore.”  He leaned down and pressed a kiss to his cheek, just alongside his mouth, and purred, “I know…”

 

Then he disappeared with a crack of apparition, leaving Theo feeling dazed but determined as his hand curled tighter around the two vials.  Humiliate Potter and get Draco over his years-long-obsession all in one swoop?  Oh yes… he could _definitely_ do that…


	12. Chapter 12

~*~*~ Chapter 12 ~*~*~

 

Continuing to leave Harry at his door was probably one of the hardest things that Draco had done in his life.  He _knew_ what it was to be inside of Harry.  He knew that Harry’s body fit him like it had been made for him.  He knew that Harry wanted to be with him and that he didn’t even want to hide what they were like it was something shameful (which it bloody well _was_ , he was a former Death Eater who had no damned right to even _look_ at the Savior… he just wasn’t going to stop for petty things like reality). 

 

Still, he’d decided that just because they’d already tasted one another, that didn’t mean that he could automatically assume Harry was going to jump back into bed with him at the first opportunity.  The man could snog like there was no tomorrow, but he hadn’t tried to get under Draco’s clothes and so the Slytherin was going to be cool about it and go at Harry’s pace. 

 

He just hoped he’d survive it given that every time that he turned around Harry was there with that sinful mouth and that far-too-fit body and-

 

Draco groaned and rolled over on his bed with its transfigured green and silver hangings, silver silk sheets, and green comforter.  He buried his face in his pillow and tried to get his libido under control.  He’d been with Harry now for over a week and it had been bloody fantastic.  They studied together with his friends (who Draco was frightened to admit were fast becoming _his_ friends), they’d become lab partners in potions where he’d learned that Harry wasn’t _quite_ quite as pants at potions as he’d always seemed (though he was far from fantastic), and they were making fast headway into the conversion of the former Divination classroom.  They snogged every chance that they got (including in shadowy corners between classrooms) and, in general, just enjoyed one another’s company.

 

Yet they’d kept their hands strictly above the waistline.  Which would have been ok, Draco was a pureblood, he could court someone damnit… if he hadn’t known just how incredible the sodding Gryffindor looked underneath those rumpled clothes of his…

 

Cursing, he pulled his pillow up tighter around his face as though he could somehow suffocate himself and put an end to all of these bloody images (his cock was getting a sore from all the wanking he was doing).  Trying to still his mind, he prayed that he’d manage to fall asleep somehow…

 

Or at least, he was praying… right up until he felt something cold and scaly slither along his leg.

 

Drago was out of the bed so fast that he dumped Alexander, who’d been lounging on the end of the bed, unceremoniously onto the floor.  The black cat let out a yowl of protest and looked up at him with accusing green eyes as Draco looked around desperately for his wand and lit a quick Lumos. 

 

And there in his bed, looking at him with eyes that were, oddly, a mirror of the accusation in Alex’s, was a bloody white python.

 

“Whut… how… its…”

 

His incoherent muttering was cut short when the damned thing made to slither toward him.  He let out a yelp and scrambled backward, nearly falling on his ass in his haste to keep away from the snake.  He could _swear_ he heard Alexander snort in amusement as the traitorous cat suddenly leapt back onto the bed and curled around the damned snake as though he belonged there.  The snake, whom Harry had named Sirius, flicked out his tongue at the cat and for a moment Draco thought he’d need to save his idiot cat from getting eaten… but then Sirius seemed to butt his head up under Alex’s chin and _nuzzle_ the damned animal before curling in against him comfortably... right in the center of Draco’s bed.

 

“Ohhhh no… no I don’t think so,” Draco grumbled before he stalked out of his room and marched down to Harry’s.  Knocking none-too-gently, he heard his boyfriend slowly stumble around inside for a moment before he came to the door.

 

“Dray?” he asked, rubbing under one of his gorgeous, sleep-heavy eyes, “What’s wrong?”

 

For a moment, Draco forgot what it was that he was supposed to be upset about.  The sight of Harry wearing nothing but a pair of low-slung black pyjama pants with little golden snitches sewed into them was enough to have him forgetting his own bloody _name_ , let alone his annoyance with his boyfriend’s pet.  He let his eyes slowly trail over that broad chest, those washboard abs, that trail of dark hair that led in a V down to where Draco most longed to-

 

“Did you just come to perve on me love, because you could’ve simply stayed rather than snogging me senseless at the door and then going to yours.”

 

Draco’s head snapped up at the teasing tone and he looked into Harry’s eyes, which were now far more awake and sparkling with mischief.  For a moment, a blush heated his pale cheeks and he opened his mouth to stammer out an apology…

 

Then he glanced down again, unable to quite help himself, and saw a definite bulge starting against Harry’s pyjama pants…

 

He was being a gentleman because… why again?

 

Growling low in his throat, he reached out and caught the other Wizard by the back of the neck, yanking him forward to capture his mouth in a hungry kiss.  Harry jumped for a second and then melted against him the way that he always did when Draco kissed him.  His arms wrapped around Draco’s equally bare chest and he purred into his mouth, fingers dragging up into Draco’s hair as he curled closer.

 

The two walked backward as though they’d planned this, Draco reaching out blindly with one hand for Harry’s door, slamming it shut behind him.  Blunted fingernails digging lightly into Harry’s shoulders, he groaned into his mouth, “I thought… too soon… didn’t want to rush… never… tried to touch…”

 

Harry laughed softly and pressed his forehead to Draco’s, his breath (which smelled vaguely of the chocolate he’d apparently been eating before bed) panted over Draco as he said, “Dray… I seduced you beyond the point of reason our first time.  I basically gave you no choice even though you said no _multiple_ times.  I wasn’t about to do it again.”

 

Draco pulled back enough to meet Harry’s gorgeous eyes, his expression one of shock.  “Is _that_ what you think?”

 

Harry shifted slightly, still touching Draco, but more hesitantly now.  He licked his lips and said, “I… well it’s just that I…”  He shifted again before muttering, “I remember it more and more clearly all the time.  You didn’t _want_ what happened I just…” he blushed hard, looking down, “I mean you said no so many times, I basically rap- “

 

“Don’t,” Draco interrupted, putting his finger over Harry’s lips.  He left it there for a moment, caressing his finger over those kiss-swollen buds that were so soft and yet firm.  He licked his lips, tasting Harry there, and said huskily, “Harry… I never wanted anything in my life the way I wanted you.  I just didn’t think you could possibly want me the same way.  Not really.  Not without the spell.”  He met the other man’s eyes for a long time, making certain that Harry was really seeing him, really understanding him, before he said softly, “I’ve known I was in love with you for years Potter.  Half the reason I was so horrible to you was because I thought I could never have you.”  He shook his head as he looked at that beautiful face and whispered, “I’ve never wanted anything in my life the way that I want you.”

 

Harry half-groaned, half-whimpered and leaned up to capture his mouth again, his kiss nearly as frantic and desperate as it had been the first time their lips had met in that damned classroom.  He whimpered Draco’s name again and again as he pulled him toward the bed at the center of the room.

 

Some part of Draco’s mind registered, oddly, that the bed was a lot further away from the door than Draco’s was, and that when Harry pushed him down onto it, it seemed a hell of a lot bigger, but he couldn’t be arsed to think about that too much.  He had a hungry Harry Potter crawling on top of him and truly _nothing_ could pull him away from the bliss of that…


	13. Chapter 13

~*~*~ Chapter 13 ~*~*~

 

Harry’ breath was caught in his throat and his stomach was tight with need.  Gods this was Draco… it was _Draco_ and he’d dreamed of this damned moment since the time when he’d finally finished with the Godsforsaken war and been able to actually think about what he wanted.

 

And even though he knew what it was like to be with the man that he loved, those memories were hazy and fuzzy round the edges.  Even in his dreams they felt… uncertain, as though he weren’t sure what was real and what wasn’t.

 

But not this.  Feeling Draco curl a hand around his waist to lay him back on the bed, he could feel every single finger hot against his spine.  Feeling Draco come above him and press him back into the mattress, the need pressing into his belly was hard and throbbed against him…

 

And the taste… sweet Gods the fucking taste of him as Draco’s lips moved against his own…  He’d kissed before of course.  Only Cho and Ginny, but still, he wasn’t a complete novice in this area at the least.  But kissing them had been _nothing_ like kissing Draco.  His mouth was forceful and demanding, yet somehow still managed to be tender.  His lips were firm and yet soft and he tasted of the mint toothpaste he’d brushed with before bed.

 

It was almost enough to put Harry into sensory overload, but he’d be damned if he was going to miss a single second of what he knew was coming…

 

Giving them a twist on the ridiculously huge bed that Kreacher had transfigured for his room (he’d come to his room after asking him to tidy it up to find it completely transformed) he pushed the Slytherin back against the plush velvet and silk duvet with the Potter House Crest emblazoned on it (he didn’t even know how in Merlin’s name Kreacher even knew what the House Crest of his family _was_ ) he waved a hand and lit the candles with a bit of wandless magic.  When Draco made to reach for him, he gently pushed his hands away and said huskily, “I just… I want to look at you Dray…”

 

Draco smirked and said, “And you accused _me_ of being here to get my ‘perve on’,” but there was a slight tinge of red along the other Wizard’s high cheekbones that made Harry smile.  He caressed his fingers along those cheekbones and then slowly down along his pointy chin to the juncture where his chin met his throat.  When Draco sucked in a breath, he leaned forward and let his lips caress where his fingers had just been, tonguing the delicate spot that had Draco moaning.  He continued to tease the spot until he knew Draco would be marked and felt a very primitive sense of satisfaction when he saw the dark red/purple bruise there. 

 

“Mine…” he purred before he began to trail his lips and fingers further along Draco’s chest.  The blonde was bucking up against his hips where Harry straddled him, whimpering and obviously trying to find some friction but Harry kept him steady.  Draco had reassured him that he hadn’t forced himself on him that night (well… he _had_ … but that it was alright).  And he had him to himself again.  He intended to take every single moment that he could to enjoy this…

 

Nipping and licking his way down Draco’s chest, he purred when he came to one taut, rosy pink nipple.  He flicked his tongue along it and when Draco gasped, he gave it a little nip that had his lover squirming.  Turning, he paid the same attention to the other before he started down that chest that, while not as broad as Harry’s, was defined and roped with muscle that was deliciously impressive. 

 

When he got halfway down his chest, however, he paused when his lips found a line that didn’t seem to belong.  Pulling back slightly, he glanced down and saw several long white scars, crisscrossed over Draco’s pale chest and abdomen.  And as soon as he saw them, he knew what they were…

 

Tears darkened his eyes and he reached out to touch one hesitantly, but Draco stopped his hand.  He looked up and found the other Wizard, silver eyes almost black with the blown pupils of his desire, looking at him with a tenderness that, just at that moment, Harry didn’t feel he deserved.

 

“It’s alright lover,” Draco said softly.  “I’m fine, I swear.”

 

“I… I shouldn’t’ve…” his stomach twisted with pain as tears threatened.  He shook his head, “Gods whut I did in that bathroom Draco… you… I’d no idea what that curse would do but I used it anyway and you could’ve died and I- “

 

Draco caught his chin in his hands and lifted it upward, meeting his eyes as he said, “We hurt each other more times than I can count in the past Harry.  And just because my scars are visible and yours…” his fingers slid to the back of Harry’s hand over the white lines of ‘I must not tell lies’, “most of yours… aren’t, that doesn’t mean yours aren’t just as real.”

 

Meeting Harry’s eyes again he said huskily, “But I promise you this… you’ll never receive another scar that I can prevent my Harry.  Not one.”

 

Harry let out a soft half sob, half whimper and captured Draco’s mouth again, writhing against him hungrily.  He wanted to tell him that he felt the same.  He wanted to say that he’d never hurt Draco again or allow him to be hurt. He wanted to tell him that he loved him more than anything in the world… but his throat was choked with emotion and so he told him with his mouth instead.

 

Draco groaned into his lips and flipped them again on the bed.  Harry felt a thrill go through him at the dominating way that his lover moved.  He’d never imagined that he’d want someone else to take control of him like this, but when Draco’s hands captured his and pressed them back into the soft mattress, he moaned in pleasure.  Gods that was so fucking hot…

 

“Want to taste you,” Draco growled, his hands sliding along Harry’s stomach to his cock, rubbing him through his pyjama pants which were already damp with precum.  “Want to taste you here…”

 

Harry was incoherent with pleasure at the feel of Draco’s hand on him, palming and squeezing him.  He couldn’t form a decent reply but apparently the bucking of his hips gave his lover the answer he needed because Draco gave him one last, tender kiss before he began to trail his lips down Harry’s stomach, pausing to give him little nips here and there, and then drug his pyjama pants down his hips slowly.  Harry gasped at the cool air hitting his aching cock and at the loss of Draco’s hand stroking him through the cotton… but then Draco gave a rather hungry purr and leaned down to stroke his tongue along him in a single, slow lick from base to tip and Harry just about bucked the other Wizard off of him.

 

Draco grinned, “Like that, do you Potter?” he teased before he bent and did it again.  He licked him like a cat at a bowl of cream, over and over again until he’d circled the whole of Harry’s cock and teased the slit with the tip of his tongue.  And just when Harry thought he’d go mad with the need for more, Draco met his eyes and then wrapped his mouth around him and gave a hard suck.

 

The scream that issued from him was probably enough to wake his nearest neighbor, Dean.  However, given how often Harry had been awoken by similar sounds when Dean and Seamus were at one another, he thought he could be forgiven.  He bit his lip hard to try to keep from crying out again but when Draco began to bob his head up and down Harry’s shaft, his cheeks hollowing with each movement as he sucked and swallowed around him, Harry thought for certain he’d go absolutely mad with it.  He writhed beneath him, one hand clinging to the duvet and the other buried in Draco’s silken hair while the other man made his body sing with pleasure.

 

And just when he thought he couldn’t stand another moment, when he was pulling gently at Draco’s hair to try to warn him he was about to come, Draco’s finger slid along his puckered opening and he screamed the other man’s name, cum bursting forth and into his lover’s mouth as Harry was reduced to a pile of gasping, whimpering pleasure.

 

When he was at least slightly coherent again, he realized that Draco hadn’t slid away from Harry’s cock.  He had a dribble of cum on his chin, but he was still teasing and licking at the softened member while his finger caressed along Harry’s opening.  Harry looked down, thinking he had never seen a more fucking erotic sight in his life than that silver-blonde head teasing his cock with plump red lips still damp with his cum.

 

“Draco…” he panted.

 

Draco glanced up at him and grinned, pulling back from his cock long enough to purr, “You taste as amazing as I’d always imagined Chosen One.”  He teased his tongue along Harry’s balls, causing Harry to whimper and gasp as aftershocks of pleasure danced through him, and continued, “But I’m not through with you yet…”

 

Harry didn’t even have time to ask what the other man meant before he felt Draco’s wicked tongue teasing along his opening.  The sensation was so shocking that for a moment Harry actually tightened up and pulled back, but Draco began to gently pet him, caressing his hands along Harry’s hips and pressing kisses to his thighs as he whispered, “Shh… it’s alright lover…” before his tongue slid down again and flicked along Harry’s opening.

 

And then all Harry could do was throw back his head and writhe in pleasure as Draco licked and sucked at his hole.  He felt one slick finger slide into him, then slowly a second, and Draco never let up teasing and licking at him.  Harry’s cock was already full with need again and he was writhing beneath his lover’s ministrations when Draco slowly slid a third finger inside of him, twisting them and hooking his fingers until he found a spot that had Harry once more incoherent with cries of bliss and begging for more.

 

Draco cursed and pressed his forehead to Harry’s thigh, whispering, “Merlin Harry, please tell me you’re ready.  If you keep making sounds like that I’ll-“

 

“Gods yes, yes _please_ Draco!  Please more, please I need-“

 

He didn’t get to finish trying to articulate what he needed because Draco’s mouth was on his again as the blonde came once again above him.  Their mouths moved desperately against one another as Draco yanked his pyjama pants down and kicked them away, but not before pulling out his wand.  He murmured a spell for lube and coated his own cock before sliding his fingers back into Harry, working him gently until Harry was begging into his mouth for him to fill him…

 

And then he felt the head of Draco’s cock pressing against his entrance.  He eased himself in slowly, silver rimmed eyes watching Harry’s face for any sign of pain.  Harry was only barely aware of this, however, because he was trying to lift his hips to take more of the other man in.  “Draco… Gods yes please… please more…”

 

Draco complied, sliding further into him and then further… deeper… until finally he pressed past the taut ring of muscles and was fully inside Harry’s all-too-willing body.  Harry had never felt so full and yet so absolutely perfect as he did in that moment.  He moaned Draco’s name over and over, wrapping his legs tight around the blonde’s waist as he kissed him hungrily, begging the other man to move…

 

And then he did.  He pulled out just a little and sank back home, causing them both to moan in pleasure… then he lifted Harry’s legs higher along his waist, pulled nearly out of him, and then drove home, straight into that same spot that had Harry digging at Draco’s back with his blunted nails as his head writhed back and forth on the pillow in absolute ecstasy. 

 

Within seconds they were rocking into one another, finding a rhythm naturally that should have been awkward or difficult to establish given they’d only done this once… but for them it was as easy as breathing.  They both moved with confidence against one another, as though they’d been made to be together, and as Draco’s body drove into Harry’s over and over, that’s exactly how it seemed.  It was as though they’d neither of them been complete until they were locked together in the most intimate embrace possible…

 

It only took a matter of a few moments before they were both panting harshly at the edge.  Draco cursed and whispered against Harry’s throat, “I can’t… Harry I’m so close I…” he whimpered and buried his face against his neck, begging, “So tight… Harry I need… Harry please-“

 

“Fill me,” Harry begged, his hand already between them and working his own cock.  His balls were tight against his body, his cock purple with the need for release.  He kissed the side of Draco’s face, along his cheek, anywhere that he could reach as he begged, “I want to feel it… let go for me love…”

 

Draco met his eyes once more, face strained as he thrust into him again and again… and then finally he captured his lips one last time before he shouted Harry’s name in a voice gone hoarse with pleasure and released deep inside of him.

 

Harry gasped as he felt the hot wetness coating him and the sound of his name on Draco’s lips was more than he could take.  With one final tug, he coated their bellies in his own hot seed as he lost all connection with this world and left it for one he would only ever want to share with Draco Malfoy…


	14. Chapter 14

~*~*~ Chapter 14 ~*~*~

 

Draco had never slept better in his entire life.  He often woke in the middle of the night, covered in sweat and screaming from nightmares of the war, and he knew that he wasn’t the only one who did so.  Most of his classmates had erected silencing wards around their rooms for exactly that reason.

 

But as consciousness slowly returned to Draco, he found that the light was bright against the windows, indicating that it was well into the morning, and he felt as though he was actually _rested_ for the first time in years.

 

The reason for that shifted against him at almost the same time that he woke.  Silver eyes trailing downward, he caught sight of Harry resting snuggled up against him, his tousled raven head against Draco’s chest and his arm and leg through over him.  From anyone else, the position would likely have felt stifling and claustrophobic to him.

 

But this was Harry Potter.  If he could curl him straight into his body, he’d do so.

 

Draco watched as the Gryffindor slowly stretched like a lazy cat before his head tilted upward and he was caught in a pair of dragon’s eyes.  He had tried to keep himself from stiffening in fear, but he knew that his muscles were locked slightly as he waited, half-fearing to see that same lack of recognition that he’d seen the first time.  They’d come together willingly last night, both of them desperate for the other, but that didn’t mean-

 

“I think that may be the first time I’ve slept without nightmares since the War,” Harry purred, cuddling closer and pressing a tender kiss along his shoulder.

 

Draco let out the breath that he hadn’t even been aware he was holding, his arms tightening around the other Wizard.  He nuzzled that unruly mop of hair and said huskily, “Yeah.  Best night’s sleep I’ve had in ages.”  He smirked a little and added, “Well… once this insatiable Gryffindor I know finally let me _get_ to sleep that is…”

 

A flush danced along Harry’s cheeks but he drew back and grumbled, “Me?!  I wasn’t the one who woke myself up at 3am for the third round.”

 

A dark brow sliding upward, Draco said haughtily, “That was the fourth round Potter.  And I can’t be blamed.  You shifted in your sleep and rubbed against me.”  He trailed his fingers up Harry’s naked spine, “I was powerless against your wanton ways.”

 

Harry shivered and arched upward into his touch and then shifted as though to get up as he grumbled, “Well, if that’s the case, I suppose I should just take my ‘wanton self’ off to the shower and let you- “

 

Draco had the other man pinned within seconds, sliding his morning wood along Harry’s as he purred, “Try it Savior.  I’ve no plans to let you out of this bed now that I’ve caught you in it.”  He leaned down to nuzzle along Harry’s lips, purring, “You’re mine lover… best get used to the idea.”

 

Rather than responding immediately, Harry groaned and rocked his hips upward, his legs trailing along Draco’s as his gorgeous green eyes went near-black with hunger (an expression Draco was becoming all-too-happily familiar with).  “I suppose I can think of worse fates than being trapped in bed with you,” he purred, flicking his tongue along Draco’s lips.

 

Draco grinned and shifted his leg to pull Harry tighter against him, afraid he must be close to the edge of the bed… only to feel his leg keep going.  Lifting his head idly, he looked around and blinked when he took in the actual _size_ of the bloody bed.

 

“Harry,” he said slowly, “am I going mad- “

 

“Yes,” Harry said immediately, a wicked little grin on his face.

 

Draco rolled his eyes and gave Harry’s bare ass a smack (which caused the Gryffindor to shift deliciously and purr, information Draco filed away for later).  Absently rubbing the area he’d smacked, he said, “ _Or_ is your bed roughly three times the size of a normal Hogwarts bed?  Is this a savior thing?”

 

Harry had been nuzzling into his neck and shifting closer.  At that, however, he paused, obviously in confusion at the complete non-sequitur.  He glanced around myopically for a moment, then a blush spread over his tanned cheeks.  “Oh, that.”  He sighed and grumbled, “My bloody elf took liberties.”

 

Draco frowned at Harry, “You’ve a House Elf?  Wait… you’re allowed a House Elf at school?  And what do you mean liberties?” 

 

Harry sighed and grumbled, “I inherited Kreacher when I inherited the Black Family Home at Grimmauld Place.  He works here at Hogwarts and- “

 

Draco was only half paying attention because he’d finally shifted to look around the room.  It was absolutely incredible.  Spells had obviously been worked into every corner because the room was at least four times the size of Draco’s, which Draco knew was a standard size for all the 8th years.  The walls were hung with tapestries and tasteful paintings of things that Harry would like such as a Quidditch pitch with distant figures flying and a beautiful image of a snowy white owl who ruffled her feathers playfully when she caught Draco’s eyes on her.  The floor, rather than bare stone, was laid down with thick, plush looking rugs spread all around.  The simple writing desk and chair that sat in Draco’s quarters had been transfigured into a gorgeous corner credenza desk with a large leather executive chair.  There was even a sitting area complete with a couch and armchair before the fireplace!

 

“You’ve got to be bloody kidding me…” Draco whispered as he took in the room.  There were even doors leading to the Gods only knew what.  Closets maybe?  But no, what use would Potter have for _two_ closets?  The man wore ratty looking, far-too-big t-shirts and old jeans anytime that he wasn’t in school robes.

 

“I know,” Harry grumbled, looking extremely uncomfortable.  “I asked him to clean up a bit since he seemed to want something to do.  I didn’t have the first bloody _clue_ he was planning to do this!  I tried asking him to change it back but he’s extremely stubborn and before I could order him to do so he got this manipulative little pout and started asking if I didn’t like it and it just- “

 

Again, Draco was only half paying attention to his lover’s complaints because he’d made his way across the sea of silken sheets to exit the bed and was currently wandering over to explore the doors.  Opening the first, he saw that it was, indeed, a large walk-in closet.  Which was absolutely ridiculous because it sported exactly one pair of dress robes that Draco recognized from fourth year and the Yule Ball, a few sets of school robes, and a small selection of regular clothes including jeans, jumpers (most of them in emerald green) and t-shirts. The entire lot didn’t take up even a _quarter_ of the space in here.

 

Harry had come up behind him and was now flushing down along his chest as he grumbled, “Look, I know it’s ridiculous to have all this space for one person but honestly, he’s impossible!”

 

Draco blinked at the other man before wordlessly turning and heading for the other door.  Harry cursed and tried to get into his way, saying, “No don’t- “, but Draco just pushed past him and opened the door onto a sprawling en suite bathroom.  The toilet (complete with bidet) was separated by an opaque divider from the rest of the room which included a huge sunken jacuzzi tub, a separate stand-up shower with glass walls etched with an embossed house crest Draco didn’t recognize, a large double sink (he was _one man_ , what the devil did he need a double sink for?!) inlaid into a marble countertop, and marble flooring.  The entire feel was elegant, modern, and absolutely gorgeous.

 

Finally managing to pick his jaw up from his chest, Draco glanced over to find his lover still hovering near the closet with a look of near-shame on his bright red face.  Draco cocked a brow at him, shocked to realize that the other wizard truly was embarrassed at the extravagance he found himself surrounded in. 

 

To Draco, it felt absolutely perfect.  Even his bedroom at the manor wasn’t quite this nice.

 

Biting back a grin, Draco finally nodded and said, “Right.  Well that settles it then,” and began stalking toward the bright red Savior.

 

Harry was looking down at his bare feet as he grumbled, “Settles what?  Your belief that I’m as much a spoiled ponce as you?”

 

Draco laughed as he slid his hands along Harry’s hips and pulled him close.  The other man came willingly, though he kept his eyes locked downward regardless.  Draco reached out and caught Harry’s chin, slowly lifting it upward as he said, “It settles that I’m bloody well moving in here with you.”  He grinned when Harry’s eyes whipped upward and gave him a wink before he caught his lips in a tender but hungry kiss.

 

Despite his obvious embarrassment, within seconds Harry was moaning into his mouth and wrapping his arms around him.  Draco gathered Harry closer, deepening the kiss and letting his hands roam over his lover’s perfect body.  When they finally parted for air, both of them were panting hungrily against one another.  “What say we put that shower to good use, hmm?” he purred against Harry’s lips and began to pull him toward the bathroom.

 

Harry followed wordlessly, dragon’s eyes glazed with lust and all embarrassment obviously forgotten.  Draco fully intended to show him just how nice it was that he had a private bathroom, and he got the feeling that Harry wasn’t going to mind one bit…


	15. Chapter 15

~*~*~ Chapter 15 ~*~*~

 

Theo felt his stomach churn.  He’d been biding his time, watching for the right moment to put Lucius’s plan into effect.  Well… and if he were brutally honest, he was just waiting simply because he could.  Lucius had no control over when things happened inside Hogwarts and so Theo exerted his own form of control by waiting.  He knew he couldn’t keep it up forever, but a little waiting wouldn’t hurt the man.  It served him right for crucio’ing Theo…

 

At least, that had been his thought process as he watched and waited as Potter and Malfoy seemed to overnight get past their distrust of one another and start sitting together in classes, talking all the time, and even giving one another significant little glances.  Theo had thought it odd but had turned a blind eye.

 

But there was no turning a blind eye to this.  Just after Transfiguration, Potter had grabbed hold of Draco’s hand just outside class and yanked him down the corridor.  He’d pushed him into a shadowy entryway and proceeded to snog the blonde as though Draco’s lips were air and he were drowning.

 

And Draco… Draco was moaning and threading his fingers into Potter’s ridiculous hair that he’d always ranted about in the past.  He was rocking his hips into Potter’s and gripping his ass.  And under the Disillusionment spell he’d placed over himself to watch, Theo was close enough to hear Draco moaning Potter’s name, whimpering out ‘Harry’ and ‘Yes’ and all sorts of pathetic things like that.  And Potter was likewise whispering, ‘Dray… my Dray…’ into Draco’s mouth.  It was as though Draco couldn’t get enough of the man he’d once spent hours upon hours giving long, drawn out tirades about and Potter was likewise enthralled…

 

Theo didn’t notice Granger and Weasley coming up until the redhead nearly knocked into him.  Moving quickly out of the way but remaining close enough to watch the fireworks, Theo waited with an evil smirk.  This should be good, and it would serve Draco right for allowing that filthy halfblood to touch him.

 

Except that Weasley didn’t explode.  Granger didn’t start haranguing them.  The two Gryffindors rolled their eyes and marched up to the pair.  And Granger said, “Harry, Draco, come on you two, we’ve got Potions next.”

 

Draco and Harry didn’t fly apart in shock.  They didn’t immediately turn on one another and pretend the moment had never happened.  In fact, they continued snogging the life out of one another and Harry even waved a hand at the other two Gryffindors as though to tell them to leave him alone to his attempts at eating Draco’s face!

 

“Right then,” Weasley said, sounding amused rather than angry, “’Mione an I’ll just head on into Potions an tell Snape you two were too busy checkin one another’s tonsils ta bother with his class aye?”

 

Harry and Draco groaned simultaneously and finally broke apart.  They gave Weasley identical glares, but on Draco’s part, the glare wasn’t filled with hatred and loathing.  Instead, it was filled with the same fond annoyance that Potter’s gaze held.  They both grumbled something about interfering friends and then sighed and pulled apart with a final, brief caress of lips. 

 

“Yeah yeah, we’re coming,” Draco grumbled, bending down to pick up their bookbags where they’d dropped them at their feet.  He kept hold of Potter’s, carrying it for him as grumbled, “Lead the way Weasley.  Though the next time I catch you and Granger ‘checking one another’s tonsils’, don’t think I’ll be forgetting this moment.”

 

Weasley laughed and slung an arm around Granger’s shoulder before heading off, Harry and Draco holding hands, _holding hands_ as they walked along the corridor with the other two.  Theo remained where he was, leaning against the wall for support.  He couldn’t believe what he’d just seen.  He’d known something was up between Draco and Potter.  He’d seen them touching, seen them laughing together, seen all those glances but…

 

He felt his hands curl into fists.  Draco was his.  He’d always been his.  From the time their parents had had them playing together as children, he’d known that the blonde belonged to him.  He’d tamed down some of his slightly… meaner ways when he’d seen that they’d frightened Draco.  The first time Draco had caught him with one of the pets that Theo had always enjoyed experimenting on, he’d had to spend nearly an hour coaxing the beautiful blonde out of his bedroom and to talk to him again.  Draco was soft, and he’d accepted that.  He needed someone firm to guide him, but the guidance had to be gentle.  And Theo was smart so he’d played the game the way that Draco had needed him to play it.  He’d even managed to snog him a few times in fourth and fifth year, though the little shit had always played hard to get when it came to getting beneath his robes.  Still, Theo had been patient.  He’d known that Draco would eventually come around.  So, he’d bided his time and even commiserated with him when the bastard had been whining about Potter so constantly that it was obviously more than a hate obsession. 

 

Yet when Draco had leaned down to pick up those bags, he’d seen the dark red mark at the juncture of his neck and shoulder.  The hickey, the _claim_ , that Draco had always shoved him away when Theo had tried to make.  And it was _Potter’s_ mark on _his_ Draco…

 

Potter… Harry Fucking Potter, the pathetic little halfblood hero of the light… marking _his_ Draco. 

 

Theo snarled under his breath and followed after the group.  They were laughing and chatting as they walked down the steps to the dungeons.  They were ribbing one another as though they’d all been friends for ages, instead of making Draco feel like the outsider that he fucking well _was_ to that ridiculous Golden Trio.  And with every word that was spoken, every sweep of Draco’s fingers over Harry’s knuckles where their hands were entwined, Theodore felt his rage burn brighter. 

 

And then Potter, the idiot that he was, said he needed to run into the toilet before class.  He muttered to Draco that he needed to make himself presentable before Snape saw him and took off points from Gryffindor or something and the other three laughed and teased him.  Draco caught his lips in a tender kiss that was full of all sorts of meaning that only made Theo’s blood boil hotter and faster, and then the three went into the classroom together as Potter ducked away into the toilet. 

 

Theo followed and almost ran into Draco, who’d come back out with a slightly worried expression.  Theo cursed and quickly leaned back against the wall beside the man he was obsessed with as Draco muttered a hominum revelio and checked the toilet to verify that it was only Potter inside.  The blonde let out a relieved sigh and turned to go back into the classroom, pocketing his wand. 

 

He was worried about Potter.  He was scared for him, remembering that Potter had been attacked in the toilet before.  A concern that Draco had _certainly_ never shown for Theo…

 

Theo already had his wand in his hand as he stalked inside.  He saw Potter at the mirror, fixing the tie that was askew and adjusting his robes.  He had a stupid grin on his face and a slightly dreamy look in his eyes.

 

That was, until Theo grabbed hold of the back of his head and shoved it into the mirror, cracking the mirror and hopefully Potter’s fucking skull all in one…

 

His fist was flying as Potter fell backward and he caught him in the jaw, sending the bastard sprawling backward to the floor. 

 

But as satisfying as that was, it wasn’t enough.  He gave the fucker one last kick while he lay dazed on the floor and heard the satisfying crunch of bones as a rib broke.  Then pulled out his wand and began slashing him with cutting hexes.  He hit him over and over, adding in a crucio for good measure until Potter was screaming and writhing in his own filthy blood on the floor.

 

Hearing the door to the potions classroom open again, Theo gave the now-unconscious-bastard one last kick before he quickly fled.  He saw several people, including his Draco and even that traitor Snape coming hurrying out, obviously having heard the bastard scream, but he quickly rounded the corner and healed his bloody knuckles.  He gave his hair a quick pat and adjusted his robes just as he caught sight of a couple of Ravenclaws as well as Parkinson coming down the stairs.  He quickly cast off the Disillusionment charm and fell into step with the group as they rounded the corridor, looking for all the world calm and collected as he asked Parkinson if she’d had a chance to finish Flitwick’s assignment yet.  She gave him an odd look but told him she was planning to work on it tonight in the common room. 

 

They passed the bathroom and Theo managed not to look in, just sauntered into the classroom looking calm and at ease.  He took his seat beside Zabini and managed to look shocked and confused as Snape told them in a rush to start reading up on today’s potion while he went to hospital wing.  He even asked Zabini what the problem was and laughed when the handsome wizard said he didn’t know but he hoped it was Potter.

 

And his hand never left his right pocket, where his fingers had curled round the vials that Lucius had given him.  Oh yes… it was definitely time to put the man’s plan into action. The sooner his Draco saw Potter for the disgusting little slattern he was, the better…


	16. Chapter 16

~*~*~ Chapter 16 ~*~*~

 

For a moment, Harry had a strange sense of déjà vu.  He’d woken that morning wrapped around Draco and with his scent of lemon and mint dancing over his nostrils.  He turned his head, burying his face into Draco’s silken hair-

 

Only to let out a soft gasp of pain when he pressed his lips against Draco’s forehead and felt the pain from his still-healing-jaw lance through him. 

 

The blonde whipped up so fast that he nearly caught Harry in the jaw and re-broke it.  His silver eyes were wide with fear and he instantly twisted, saying, “Harry?  Baby what’s wrong?  What hurts?”

 

The instantaneous fear and concern brought back what little he remembered of the attack.  He remembered staring into the mirror and reliving the night with Draco as he tried to adjust his clothing and then suddenly-

 

He realized that his lack of response wasn’t helping because Draco suddenly cursed and started to move, saying, “It’s alright, I’ll get Pomfrey.  Just a second Harry, it’ll be alright,” as he shifted to leave the bed.

 

Harry quickly caught hold of his hands to hold him still.  He swallowed tightly and said, “No it’s… don’t go.  Please, please don’t go.  I’m alright.”

 

Well… that was a blatant lie.  He hurt all over and his head was pounding like mad, but that didn’t mean he wanted Draco to leave.

 

Draco eyed him for a long time, his expression concerned, before he finally slid back onto the bed carefully and caressed his hand along Harry’s face, saying, “I’m here.  It’s alright.  I won’t go anywhere.”

 

Harry let out a soft breath of relief and turned his face into Draco’s touch, but that caused him to curse softly because his head felt as though it weighed about 10 stone more than the rest of his body and shifting it made his very _teeth_ ache. 

 

Draco’s face screwed up with worry and he cursed softly and looked around, obviously intending to try to figure out how to alert Pomfrey and muttering about needing to learn the fucking patronus so that he could use it.  Harry made a rather absent mental note that Draco couldn’t produce a patronus and to teach him some time, but thankfully the other man’s ranting was cut short because Pomfrey had obviously had spells in place to alert her when Harry woke.  She came bustling in a few moments later, wand at the ready and casting spells before she started speaking.

 

“Well Mr. Potter, I must say I had hoped after your first month of classes without a visit to my ward boded well.  War over, no You-Know-Who, world at peace, all that.”  She looked at the readouts on the side of her wand and shook her head, grumbling, “I should’ve known better.  I mean, it is _you_ we’re talking about after all.”

 

Harry tried for a smile, though doing so made his jaw hurt, and said, “Come on now Poppy.  As if you could go an _entire_ year without my charming presence.”

 

Pomfrey rolled her eyes at him, but there was a grin on her face regardless.  Like with most of the Professors, Harry had gotten to be on quite good terms with the sweet old Mediwitch as he helped rebuild the castle over the summer.  She sighed and grumbled, “A simple visit with a good bottle of Old Ogdens would’ve done me just fine, you cheeky brat.”  Then her smile faded, and she shook her head as she said, “Someone really had at you Mr. Potter.  Broken jaw, fractured skull, three broken ribs, cuts from head to foot, and residual magic in your system that shows signs of the cruciatus.”  She met his eyes, her own filled with worry, “I truly hope you remember who it was that did all this to you.  Minister Kingsley has already been informed and is chomping at the bit to get them taken to Azkaban.”

 

Harry sighed and shook his head, “I wish I could help, but I didn’t see anyone.  I was alone in the bathroom one second and the next thing I remember is a splitting pain in my head before everything goes dark.”

 

“It had to be Nott,” Draco growled, his tone so dark that Pomfrey jumped a little and gave him a remonstrative little huff before returning to going through a rather frighteningly large selection of potions in a cart that had wheeled itself over to her.  She kept pulling out more and more vials and sitting them on Harry’s bed stand.  He had a horrible feeling she was going to expect him to drink every one of them…

 

Draco, however, didn’t seem to be paying attention to either of them.  He was still sitting beside Harry and holding his hand, but his free hand was clenched into a tight fist, his voice filled with determined darkness as he growled, “I know it was him.  I don’t know how but I fucking know – “

 

“Language Mr. Malfoy,” Pomfrey chastised without looking up from the ever-growing-pile of bottles beside Harry.  “Just because I let you bully your way into staying with Mr. Potter until he awoke when I sent everyone else back to class, that does not mean I’ll overlook everything.”

 

Draco went on as though he hadn’t noticed he’d been interrupted, growling, “-it because he’s sick enough to do this, and more than happy to strike when someone’s back is turned.  I’ll bloody well kill him. I’ll – “

 

“Much though it would no doubt please your Father to hear of your growing homicidal tendencies Dragon, I should think you a better Slytherin than to announce them in front of all and sundry.”

 

Harry jerked at the sound of those sumptuous, drawling tones and looked up to see Snape standing in the doorway.  Once, he would have cringed at the sight of Snape anywhere near him in hospital wing.  Now, however, he actually felt the strangest sense of relief dance through him.  He’d intentionally come to visit the former Headmaster regularly during the summer while they’d been rebuilding the castle and, even though Snape was still his same snarky self, they’d hashed things out a lot and come to a sort of strange understanding of one another, if not a grudging admiration. 

 

More than that, however, he knew now that Severus Snape would do absolutely anything to keep him safe and that the man had been unequivocally on his side since the beginning.  He may not always like him, but he’d proven that he’d die for Harry without hesitation.

 

Besides, now that Snape had acknowledged that Harry _wasn’t_ his father and Harry had quit assuming Snape was an evil git at every turn, they’d quickly found that Harry’s brand of sarcasm and Snape’s were actually pretty damned similar, and they quite enjoyed ribbing one another any chance they got.

 

Rolling his eyes, Harry said, “Please.  I think we all know that subtlety is _far_ from Draco’s strong suit.”

 

Draco seemed to blink out of his rage at that and glowered at Harry, “Hey, I’ll have you know that I can be _extremely_ subtle when I want to Potter.”

 

“Says the man who climbed trees to get my attention,” Harry countered, earning himself a blush and glower from his boyfriend, before focusing back on Snape, “And hey, by the by, did you just call him ‘Dragon’?”

 

“The constellation Draco is in the shape of a dragon Potter.  Or did you get your marks in astronomy by copying from Miss Granger?” Snape asked dryly, approaching Harry’s bed in a swish of robes that Harry had spent hours in front of the mirror trying to emulate (not that he’d ever admit it).

 

“As if,” Harry grumbled, “‘Mione’s definition of helping is to harp about studying.  Copying her papers would require her to let go of them for 10 seconds and I think it gives her gut pains just to hand the bloody things in.”

 

Snape’s lips twitched as he suppressed a smile and focused on Draco, “I will never cease to wonder about your preferences Dragon.” 

 

A moment later, however, his expression sobered, and he said, “Now, what is this about Nott?  Potter, have you remembered who attacked you?”

 

Harry shook his head even as he winced and accepted the first of what would no doubt be _many_ vials of potion from Pomfrey.  He swallowed it quickly and then let out a sigh of relief when the pounding in his head eased somewhat.  Focusing back on Snape he said, “No, I’m sorry.  As I told Draco, one second, I was looking in the mirror and the next my skull was splitting in two and then everything went dark.  I don’t even remember being crucio’d, though Poppy says that I was.”  He smirked, “Probably happened so often at this point that my mind doesn’t even register when it happens again.”

 

Snape rolled his eyes, “Some things, Potter, do not get easier with familiarity.  I assure you, that is one of them.”

 

Harry frowned at his potions professor, wondering exactly how many times the older man had been subjected to said curse, but he knew he’d never get an answer.  Judging by what Harry had seen when he’d glimpsed the world through Voldemort’s eyes, however, he knew that the bastard had made liberal use of that particular curse amongst his followers whenever they displeased him… or if he was just having a shitty day and felt like it.

 

Focusing back on Snape, he inclined his head once, knowing any more sympathy than that would not be appreciated, and then said, “Regardless, if I ever saw their face, I don’t remember it.”

 

Draco was again grumbling that he was positive that it was Nott but they all knew that, without proof, they couldn’t exactly go accusing him.  Harry started to reach out and touch him but before he could, another potion was pressed into his hand.  He sighed and grumbled but tossed it back, relieved when it tasted of pistachio pudding. 

 

Unfortunately, he’d been through this process enough to know that Pomfrey always sandwiched the worst tasting of the potions between the best ones if at all possible.  Which meant that if he’d had two that were tolerable, there were _several_ that were going to be utterly vile. 

 

“Kingsley wishes to speak with you as soon as you are able,” Snape said, eyeing the potions that Pomfrey was administering with an eye that was probably almost as clinical as hers.   “I’ve told him to wait until after you’re cleared medically, which should give you at least a few days.”

 

Harry, who’d just tossed back the latest of the potions, almost spewed it across the bed both from the iron, blood-like taste _and_ Snape’s comment.  He choked it down, handing the vial back to the Mediwitch, and then glared at Snape and grumbled, “You’ve got to be joking!  Three days?!  I can’t stay here for three days!!  I’ll – “

 

“You will stay until you are recovered and that’s final!”

 

Having the words echo at him from Pomfrey, Snape and Draco’s lips was a little disconcerting.  Harry actually shrank down into the bed and meekly accepted the next vial from Pomfrey without another word.

 

Draco’s silver eyes rolled upward before he shifted so that Harry was settled with his back against Draco’s front, wrapping his arms around him.  Pomfrey made a tutting noise at first, more about Harry being shifted than anything else, before she returned her focus back to her diagnostic spells as she’d been doing after every vial that Harry took in.  Whether it was Snape who’d convinced her to allow Draco to stay or Draco himself, Harry didn’t know, and he frankly didn’t care.  He wanted Draco there more than anything, more even than he wanted to see Ron and Hermione, whom he knew must be worried sick about him.  He had never felt more comforted than he did with Draco’s arms around him and he didn’t want to let that go.  Apparently the others, including the Mediwitch, all realized this because no one even seemed to find it odd that Draco had insisted on remaining with Harry and that Harry was leaning on him as he’d never leaned on anyone. 

 

Of course, it had probably only been Harry and Draco themselves who’d been so completely oblivious for so long…

 

Accepting the next vial, he was about to knock it back when Snape suddenly held up a hand to stop him and pulled another vial from the pocket of his robes, handing it over.  Harry raised a brow at him and he shifted and said, “It’s… it’ll numb your taste buds for the next one.”  Snape looked anywhere but at Harry before he went on, “You never did well with Skele-grow as I recall.”

 

Harry blinked at him in surprise before he nodded gratefully and quickly swallowed the potion from Snape before downing the one from Pomfrey, thankful when he didn’t immediately want to spew it all over.  Snape pretended indifference as he watched, arms crossed over his chest and a haughty expression on his face, but his eyes never ceased watching and Harry felt, strangely, almost as though he had a watchful parent keeping an eye on him.

 

“Now, while Madam Pomfrey is quite capable of tending to you Mr. Potter, I do believe that it is time for us to consider the future,” Snape said.

 

Harry winced, and it wasn’t from the potion that tasted of rotten lemons he’d just swallowed (unfortunately, the potion that Snape had given him was short acting and already wearing off).  He sighed as he handed the empty vial back and grumbled, “Somehow, I don’t think you’re about to become the latest in the long line of people questioning whether I’m planning to become an Auror once school is done.”

 

“Personally, I believe that would be a waste of your talent Mr. Potter, and it is also most assuredly _not_ what I meant,” Snape said.  He ignored the quizzical look that Harry shot him (what _did_ the man think would be a good use of his talents then?) and went on, “I was referring to the need for vigilance.  Loathe as I am to admit it, Moody does have a point when it comes to the dangers of letting your guard down.  Unfortunately, we have all fallen victim to this after the Dark Lord’s fall.”  He nodded to the bed on which Harry lay and said, “Obviously, this is to your detriment especially.”

 

Downing the next potion and wincing when he realized that there was still a rather large stack of them awaiting him, Harry grumbled, “I’m not exactly in a position to argue.”  He sighed and slid his hands over Draco’s where they rested at his waist, taking comfort in the feel of them as he said, “Alright, I’ll start keeping my wards up and checking rooms for enemies before I enter them again.”  He rolled his eyes, “My mind healer will simply love that after how long it took her to convince me to quit using them in the first place.”

 

He felt Draco stiffen behind him and winced as he realized what he’d said.  He hadn’t exactly told a lot of people that he’d gone to see a mind healer at St. Mungos while he was visiting Snape.  After the war, however, he’d barely been able to function without starting at every stray sound and he’d nearly hexed Andromeda when she’d come home early one day while he was taking care of Teddy.  The healer had helped in as much as he expected anyone to be able to.  Harry was reminded abruptly that there were still a lot of things, especially as regarded the war, that he and Draco had yet to tell one another. 

 

Turning slightly (and having to grudgingly admit that the damned evil potions helped because he was able to do so without sending himself into a fit of agony), Harry looked at his lover over his shoulder and said, “I’m alright.  Just… had a few things to deal with, you know?”

 

Draco met his eyes for a long time, then finally nodded and said softly, “Mother kept trying to convince me to see someone too.  I made an appointment, but I keep rescheduling.”

 

Harry nodded, “It helps.”  He met the blonde’s beautiful eyes and then said softly, “But you can talk to me too if you like.  I’m here for you Dray…”

 

Draco’s expression gentled and he leaned down to press his lips tenderly over Harry’s just as Snape said, “I may vomit.”

 

Harry ignored him and caught Draco’s lips in a tender kiss.  Snape cleared his throat just as Harry found himself forgetting his injuries and their company and leaning closer to Draco.  He sighed and pulled back before turning back to face Pomfrey, who was waiting with a patient expression and holding out another damned vial.

 

Harry grumbled, growled and generally fussed, but he downed all of them.  Obviously, he needed to keep up his strength.  Whatever had happened when he’d been cursed the first time he and Draco were together, was clearly not over yet…


	17. Chapter 17

~*~*~ Chapter 17 ~*~*~

 

It had taken both Pomfrey threatening and Harry giving him big, pleading emerald eyes before Draco had been convinced to go to classes.  He’d wanted to stay with Harry, but he’d finally been convinced (mostly by those damned dragon’s eyes, the bastard had an unfair advantage there) that his getting his N.E.W.T.s was more important than his sitting beside Harry whilest Harry did nothing more than choke down healing potions and sleep. 

 

Still, even with the demands that he attend classes, the second that he’d been through, he’d been right back in hospital wing with Harry, arms wrapped around him as he went over what the Gryffindor had missed from that day.  Harry couldn’t know why he was so obsessed with it, and so happy to simply sit there, but the fact was that there had been more than a few times over the years when he’d used the disillusionment charms that his Godfather had taught him to sneak into hospital wing when Potter was there.  He’d check on him or he’d stand back whilest Harry’s friends were there with him and seethe with envy that they were able to do so openly. At first, he’d told himself that it was because he wanted to revel in the other boy’s misery, but that had only lasted through about third year.  After that, he’d known he just needed to see for himself that Harry was ok.

 

To be able to be there with him openly, able to wrap his arms around the beautiful boy… that was a gift he wasn’t about to miss out on.

 

Finally, however, Harry had been released with a clean bill of health, though he’d been warned to take it easy and to keep his shields up.  Draco could feel them even now as they headed for the Great Hall for breakfast, and it gave him a warm feeling to know that Harry had included him in their protection.  There was a bubble of energy around the both of them, keeping them safe.

 

Leaning over, he absently pressed a kiss to Harry’s cheek.  The Gryffindor gave him a smile with a slight question in his eyes, but Draco merely shook his head and squeezed his hand harder as they moved through the hall toward the Gryffindor table.  He sank down easily at the table, Ron and Hermione already having shifted to make room for both of them.  Technically he knew that he was supposed to remain at the Slytherin table during meals, and he’d managed to do so up til now. 

 

But Harry had been attacked even _after_ he’d checked the damned toilet to ensure no one was in there.  He wasn’t letting the beautiful trouble-magnet out of his sight in the near future.  And given that none of the teachers at the head table, including McGonagall, did anything but give a slight smile, he was fairly sure they understood.

 

He was smiling and dishing himself up some eggs and bacon when he happened to glance over to his own house table and caught sight of the look on Pansy’s face.  She was staring at him with an expression of near-pain before she went back to picking at her food.  Draco felt a wash of guilt dance through him.  Pansy could be a right bitch when she wanted to be and no mistake, but she was still his best friend and had been for most of his life.  Greg caught his look and gave him a sympathetic smile before trying to engage Pansy in conversation.

 

He sighed but simply tightened his fingers along Harry’s and focused on his food.  The Gryffindors had accepted him well enough but he couldn’t expect miracles, and accepting Pansy and Greg was a lot different.  He just had to-

 

He blinked when he felt his hand squeezed gently before Harry suddenly stood.  He frowned at him in question, but Harry merely gave him a quick kiss before walking boldly over to the Slytherin table.  Every single eye in the Great Hall, including the professors, watched the Savior’s movements as he approached and even the clatter of cutlery on plates and random chatter died down as everyone watched with bated breath to see what Harry was going to do.

 

What he did was walk right up to Greg and Pansy and say, “Hey there Parkinson, Goyle.  It seems I’ve stolen your breakfast companion.  I don’t suppose you’d be interested in coming over to eat with us at the Gryffindor table?”

 

Draco’s jaw dropped right along with Greg and Pansy’s (and probably half the damned room’s).  A bite of black pudding and beans dropped from Weasley’s fork to plop back onto his plate and Hermione gave her boyfriend a sigh and muttered a quick tergeo for the mess that had splattered his robes. 

 

He only spared this sight half a heartbeat, however, because at that moment Greg suddenly gave one of his rare smiles (which, on his big, brutish face was always a little disconcerting) and stood, picking up his plate.  “Sounds good Potter,” he said happily and started to move.  When he realized that Pansy wasn’t coming, he rolled his eyes and picked up her plate as well with a muttered, “Don’t be barmy Pans.  You miss him too,” before he made his way over and sank down next to Draco, leaving a space between them so that Pansy could take the seat directly beside him.  He put both of their plates down and gave Draco another of his smiles before he went right back to wolfing down his food. 

 

Draco smiled at him weakly before looking back to Pansy, who was still sitting there looking shell-shocked.  She shifted, looked around, and then finally lifted her stubborn little chin in a haughty manner and stood, giving Harry a nod before moving over to take the spot that Greg had made for her.  She nodded to Draco and then began to primly cut her roasted tomato.

 

Or she was, until Draco reached over and wrapped his arms around her.  She remained stiff for half a heartbeat, then returned the embrace and pressed a kiss against his cheek.  Greg huffed and then wrapped his arms around both of them at once, causing them all to squeeze together and laugh.

 

By the time he let them go, Harry had returned to his spot beside Draco.  Draco smiled at his friends once more before turning to Harry and catching his lips in a quick kiss that he would have preferred to let linger, but he didn’t want to give McGonagall a reason to try to separate them.  Squeezing Harry’s hand, he happily picked up his knife and fork and went back to his breakfast, which apparently was the cue the rest of the hall was waiting for because they resumed their meals as well and the din of conversation returned at a dramatically increased volume as everyone no doubt began to talk amongst themselves at this newest development.

 

Draco didn’t honestly care.  He had his best friends and his Harry beside him.  He couldn’t give two shits what anyone else thought.

 

Or at least, that was his thought process, until Granger suddenly said, “Hey Parkinson, did you happen to catch what Professor Babbling was saying in Ancient Runes yesterday about the Graphorn and Fwooper runes when they combine?”

 

Once again, everyone within hearing distance seemed to hold their breath.  Pansy blinked at Hermione for a moment, then looked at Draco.  She had obviously thought as he did, that she and Greg would be ignored by the rest of them and she’d just be able to eat with Draco.  Draco shouldn’t have been surprised that Granger would be determined to accept them.  She’d been just as determined to accept Draco after all. 

 

Pansy shifted slightly, looking from Draco to Granger to Harry and back again for several moments…

 

Then she finally inclined her head and said hesitantly, “I’ve… got my notes here if you want to take a look.”

 

Hermione smiled happily and suddenly stood, saying, “Push over Draco,” before she sank down at the table next to Pansy and within moments the pair were embroiled in a discussion of the topic as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

 

Draco smiled slightly before glancing at Harry happily.  Reaching over, he poured himself and Harry a cup of tea, immediately adding two sugar and a splash of milk to Harry’s before handing it to him.  Harry blinked at him as he accepted the cup and Draco realized what he’d done.  He blushed hotly and started to stammer out some sort of explanation that didn’t sound ridiculously stalker-ish, but before he could, Harry reached over to the toast and buttered a slice, adding a bit of the honied orange marmalade Draco always preferred, before sliding it to Draco’s plate with a knowing look.

 

Draco let out a breath of relief and shared a slightly embarrassed grin with Harry before he went back to eating, relaxed and pleased by the turn of events.  He had his Harry _and_ his best mates right there with him.  He knew that if this continued, Pansy and Greg would likely wind up apologizing to the Gryffindors (he knew that they’d wanted to for some time) but for now, they merely ate and were engaged in conversation by Harry, Draco, Ron and Hermione. 

 

Up at the head table, Draco caught sight of McGonagall smiling happily.  She’d been trying to encourage people to put aside house differences for some time now, citing how much damage it had caused in the past.  He had a feeling that, to her, this was the first step toward reaching that goal.  And in truth, she wasn’t far off because a few moments later Luna Lovegood came over from the Ravenclaw table and sank down next to Ginny and Neville while several other people from various houses, including several Slytherins, shifted their seats to sit beside friends. 

 

At the Slytherin table, however, one face in particular was far less than pleased.  Nott was grinding his teeth to dust and looking at the group at the Gryffindor table with an expression of such utter and complete loathing that Snape had his hand on his wand.  The dark-haired boy never moved, however.  He just mangled his breakfast before standing with a look of disgust and stalking out…


	18. Chapter 18

~*~*~ Chapter 18 ~*~*~

 

It was a week later, coming up on Halloween when it happened.  Most of the initial surprise at seeing Harry and Draco together had started to die down and ‘Harry’s Slytherins’ as Draco, Goyle and Parkinson had been dubbed, were now regular fixtures at the Gryffindor table.  In addition to them, however, several other Slytherins were spending more time at the Gryffindor table and several other tables as well.  In fact, it was becoming a common sight to see all of the houses intermingling with one another at every meal and in the corridors. 

 

It was absolutely disgusting.  Theo had never seen anything so ridiculous in his entire life.  His people were making fools out of themselves!!  Hell, Rhodes was sitting with the bloody _Hufflepuffs_!!!  And this was all Potter’s fault.  Every last bit of it.

 

From his position, properly seated at his _own_ house table, Theo watched the Gryffindors.  Everyone was relaxing after dinner, joking and laughing (or, in Draco and Hermione’s cases) holding hands with their lovers and revising.  Although people were still wary to some degree, for the most part they seemed relaxed and happy.

 

And no one noticed when the Hufflepuff that Theo had imperiused before dinner laughed as he listened to Weasley tell a joke and lean over the table to say something, his hand absently dropping the red potion into Weasley’s drink.  Said Hufflepuff was known to talk with his hands and so, when he began gesticulating and his hand tipped over Harry’s glass as the blue potion poured forth, no one noticed a thing. 

 

Weasley, pig that he was, was the first to take a drink, swallowing a large, thirsty mouthful of the now-laced pumpkin juice before setting the goblet back down and laughing at something Malfoy said.  The effect was almost immediate.  His back stiffened, his face flushed, and his pupils blew wide.

 

Nott smirked.  One down…

 

Glancing over, he was just in time to catch Potter, oblivious to Weasley’s plight, lift up his own goblet of juice and take a drink.  Unfortunately, it was only a slight little swig, which wasn’t nearly enough.  Nott considered the man for a long time, then the head table where, thankfully, the Professors were all focused elsewhere.  Even Snape seemed to have stopped staring at him constantly and was engaged in conversation with Flitwick. 

 

Knowing that he couldn’t hit Potter with anything, the bastard had shields up constantly now, he instead focused on his food.  He muttered a quick charm under his breath and added extra salt to the plate.  Potter took another bite of his pasta and, for a moment, Theo thought he’d overdone it as Potter’s face screwed up slightly, but then he merely shrugged and took another bite before quickly reaching for his glass and taking a deeper drink.  Within a few more moments, the liquid was drained, and he was calling for another.

 

Nott smirked and focused back on Weasley, who was now exceptionally red in the face and breathing heavily.  He took a long draught from his cup and swiped a hand over his forehead.  He kept snaking glances over at Potter and licking his lips as he wiped sweat from his palms. 

 

Excellent.  Truly excellent.  It wouldn’t be long now…


	19. Chapter 19

~*~*~ Chapter 19 ~*~*~

 

Harry was the first to notice when Ron began to act a little odd.  His friend was shifting and wiping his hands over his face, breathing hard and half groaning.  Harry frowned and leaned forward, touching Ron’s hand and saying, “Oi, you alright there Ron?”

 

Ron jumped about a half a meter and then looked at Harry with an expression Harry had never seen in his gaze before.  Harry frowned and started to move closer, but Ron suddenly jumped up and said, “I’m… f-fine.  Just… done eating.  Gotta… y’know… gotta go…”

 

Before Harry could say a word, Ron was practically racing across the Great Hall.  Harry frowned after him, then looked down at his half-finished plate.  He’d never known Ron to stop until he’d practically licked the plate clean.  He saw Hermione moving to get up, concern evident on her pretty features.  He held up a hand and said, “It’s alright ‘Mione, you and Draco are in your _zone_ , I can tell,” he teased.  “I’ll go and see what’s up with him.”

 

Hermione gave him a grateful smile and Draco caught his hand and pulled him down for an absent kiss which sent shivers up and down Harry’s spine.  He purred in pleasure and started to lean further down when he heard a soft clearing of the throat from the head table.  He blushed and quickly pulled back, shooting an apologetic glance at McGonagall.  Draco gave him a little wink and then went back to his revising.

 

Harry was smiling happily as he headed off in the direction Ron had taken, calling out, “Ron?  Ron, where are you?”

 

It took him several moments to find the other Gryffindor.  He was obviously on his way to their common room, but he’d stopped, leaning against the wall and panting as though he’d run a marathon with his head pressed against the wall.  Harry frowned and moved forward, holding a hand out to touch Ron’s shoulder gently as he said, “Ron?  Mate are you-“

 

“Harry!” Ron suddenly gasped and before Harry knew what was happening, he’d grabbed Harry on either side of the head and yanked him forward to roughly kiss him.

 

For a second, Harry didn’t react at all.  He simply stood there, stunned with his eyes bugging and his mouth unmoving beneath the other man’s determined movements because, quite frankly, he couldn’t believe that this could really be happening…

 

Then his brain kicked into gear and he caught Ron by the shoulders and pushed him determinedly away.  Which was ironic, because it was at the same moment that Ron seemed to yank himself away and actually slapped himself hard across the face.

 

“Ron?!  What in the name of Merlin are you-“

 

“Harry!  Harry there’s something…” Ron’s eyes suddenly went misty and he moved closer, half-purring, “Gods mate you really are fit, did anyone ever tell you-“ He seemed to yank himself back and gave himself another hard slap, his eyes going wide and panicked as he said, “Harry something’s happening to me, I think I’m going mad or-“ and again he leaned closer, caressing a hand along Harry’s chest as he purred, “Honestly you have got the most delicious bum I’ve ever seen and really it’s-“ he backed up again, eyes wide and expression absolutely aghast as he turned and began banging his head on the wall, shouting, “HARRY!!!”

 

The completely insane sight would have likely been rather humourous if it hadn’t been for the fact that Ron was coming dangerously close to hyperventilating and he’d probably given himself at least a black eye. 

 

Cursing, Harry moved forward to put his head between his friend’s scull and the wall so that he didn’t crack it open and said, “Ron, Ron calm down alright?  Just, it’ll be ok.  Just take a deep breath and – whoh… no Ron it’s… Ron stop that alright just – _Hermione!!!_ ”

 

He was still trying to alternately keep Ron from doing himself injury while at the same time keep Ron from groping him when Hermione, Draco and several other people all came rushing into the corridor.  Harry looked over at Hermione as he was trying to fight Ron’s hands off of his ass and gasped, “I don’t know what’s wrong with him but–“ He cursed when Ron began to punch himself in the face and tried to grab at his arms, saying, “Help!!”

 

Hermione and Draco both seemed to come out of their stupors at the same moment and moved forward.  Draco worked to get between Harry and Ron (who was back to trying to pull Harry close to kiss him) while Hermione moved to grab hold of Ron’s arms, pulling him back. 

 

Unfortunately, when Draco managed to instigate himself between them, Ron seemed to come to his senses enough to recognize who was standing between him and the target of his insane lust.  And the look he gave Draco was one that hadn’t graced his features when looking at the blonde since before Harry had told Ron about his feelings for the Slytherin.  His expression was one of pure loathing and hatred as he snarled, “Get away from my Harry!” and threw a punch into Draco’s face, breaking his nose.

 

Draco fell back into Harry, gasping and cursing as blood flowed freely down his face.  Harry was dumbstruck, completely floored by his best friend’s behavior.  He turned quickly and tried to help his boyfriend, but before he could, Ron was grabbing him close and trying to pull him tight against him as he begged, “It’s alright Harry.  I won’t let him come between us.  I know it’s you and me forever love I-“

 

Ron cursed and gave his head a hard slap before Hermione, who’d apparently had enough of this, suddenly hissed, “Patrificus Totalus!” and within seconds Ron went stiff as a board before falling over backwards.  It was only Hermione’s quick conjuration of a pillow keeping him from giving his head a good knock against the stone floor.

 

Draco was still cursing and holding his head back with a green and silver handkerchief against his nose to try to staunch the freely flowing blood.  “What. Is. Going. On?!” he shouted.

 

Hermione, however, was looking angrier than anything else.  She was bending over Ron and for a moment, Harry was afraid she’d hit him for kissing someone else (which Harry didn’t think was entirely fair because it was obvious he didn’t want to).  However, the witch caressed her hand tenderly along Ron’s temple and back through his hair as she said, “Someone dosed him with a love potion.  He was trying to fight it off, but it must’ve been a very powerful one.” 

 

“A love potion?  But why would anyone want Ron to fall in love with me?!” Harry asked in shock.

 

Hermione shook her head, “Maybe it was meant for someone else, I don’t know.”  She cursed and quickly cast a leviosa at Ron, saying, “I’ll take him up to hospital wing.  I’m sure Madam Pomfrey can- “

 

“No need for that Miss Granger,” came the opulent tones of Snape as he moved forward.  “The two of you will accompany me to my office.  I’ve a counter-potion that should have him back to his normal, charming self in no time.” 

 

He turned, and his eyes met with Draco’s as he said, “Take Potter to your common room and do not come out until I summon you, is that understood Malfoy?”

 

Harry had just finished with an episkey to Draco’s nose and the blond was wiping away the blood.  He nodded once at his head of house before sliding an arm around Harry’s shoulders and leading him away while Snape, Hermione and a floating Ron made their way the opposite direction to the dungeons.  And as he was moved away, they could hear Ron’s voice, distorted by the patrificus, moaning for Harry and then cursing and then moaning, over and over.

 


	20. Chapter 20

~*~*~ Chapter 20 ~*~*~

 

Stepping into the thankfully empty Gryffindor common room, Draco was trying very hard not to think about what he’d just seen.  It was obvious that Weasley wasn’t in his right mind and Harry had been fighting him off as best he could…  Merlin, Weasley had been fighting _himself_ off with those slaps and such…

 

Still, the sight of someone else with their lips on Harry… _his_ Harry, had made him feel more than slightly possessive. He clenched his hand into a fist at his side as he tried to get the image out of his mind.  Ron had been drugged.  Harry hadn’t wanted it.  Harry had tended to him immediately.  It was alright.  It _was_.

 

“This is completely bloody mental,” Harry cursed as he threw himself down onto a couch in front of the fire.  “Why would anyone ever want to try to get me and Ron together?  I’ve never known a more heterosexual bloke in my life.  And he’s my best friend.  It’s just not like that between us.  So why would anyone think that would work?  And, honestly just… _why_?!”

 

Draco didn’t respond.  He just kept pacing, hands clenching and unclenching at his sides.  Weasley had had his lips on Harry.  He’d had his hands on Harry’s ass.  He’d called Harry _his_ Harry…

 

“Dray?” Harry called, seeming to realize suddenly that Draco wasn’t responding.  “Draco, are you alright?”

 

Draco managed a terse nod, but he couldn’t do more than that.  He was too tense, too focused.  He had to get control of himself.  It was a fucking potion and Weasley had fought it to the point that the bloke was probably going to have at least a black eye.

 

Yet a mean, possessive part of him felt that the ginger bastard deserved a hell of a lot more than that.  He deserved to have every finger broken that had touched Harry.  He deserved to have his lips burned off for daring to put them on Harry.  He deserved-

 

“Dray… what’s wrong?  Are you – “

 

Harry had stood and moved to touch him without Draco realizing it.  And when he felt his lover’s hand touch his shoulder, the possessiveness wouldn’t be denied any longer.  He gave a rather primitive growl and whirled on Harry, grabbing him close as he hissed, “ _Mine_ ,” and suddenly yanked the Gryffindor forward by the back of the neck and caught his lips in a searing, utterly dominating kiss.

 

Harry responded instantly.  Draco wouldn’t have been surprised if the other man had hesitated at least a little given the suddenness of the movement, or more likely shoved him back and demanded to know what in the fuck his problem was.  But Harry didn’t.  He let out a soft gasp, and then he melted against Draco’s body in a way that soothed the blonde’s raised hackles.  Draco curled the beautiful man closer and deepened the kiss, hands sliding along Harry’s perfect body as though he could mark every inch of him as his own.

 

And then Harry pulled his lips away and Draco felt a semblance of sanity return, preparing to apologize to the other man and try to explain… but Harry looked at him with pupils blown wide with hunger.  He smiled a slow, seductive smile and purred, “If you want to make a claim lover, you’re going to have to take me to our room.  I refuse to be interrupted by some first year looking for somewhere to study.”

 

Draco blinked at the other man for several moments, silver eyes wide with shock.  That was… _not_ how he’d expected Harry to respond to that possessive movement.  He’d expected to be told that he was being a prat and that he needed to get his head on straight and not be an idiot.

 

This… this was _so_ much better…

 

“Gods I fucking love you,” Draco said.  He completely missed Harry’s indrawn breath of shock (he’d never said the words before after all) because he was busy grabbing his lover under the ass and lifting him up into his arms, so he could make his way up the stairs to Harry’s (now their shared) bedroom.  The Gryffindor jumped at the movement but only hesitated a moment before wrapping his legs around Draco’s waist and capturing his lips in a hungry kiss that seemed even more passionate than any they’d exchanged before.

 

Already yanking clothes free even as they moved, Draco made his way up the stairs and to their room without ever breaking that hungry kiss.  The second they were in their room, he slammed the door shut with his foot and carried the man that he loved over to their shared bed.  Tossing him down onto it, Draco grinned at the sight Harry made.  His hair was a mess, his shirt already half undone and exposing his broad chest.  His tie had apparently been lost on the stairs or in the hallway and his eyes…

 

Gods those Dragon’s eyes were the most incredible thing he’d ever seen in his life…

 

“You are so fucking beautiful,” Draco whispered in a voice gone hoarse with lust and hunger.

 

Harry gave him an almost shy smile and then purred, “Less admiring, more fucking.”

 

Draco gave a half-groan, half-growl at his wanton savior before he moved forward quickly.  He started to remove the other man’s shirt, but he growled with impatience as he tugged.  He needed to be inside of Harry.  He needed to know that Harry belonged to him and _wanted_ to belong to him.  He needed to know that the man he loved was his and only his.

 

Harry seemed to understand because he performed a bit of wandless, non-verbal magic and seconds later they were both completely naked.  Draco groaned in pleasure at the feel of Harry’s skin against his own and the other man reciprocated hungrily.  He yanked Draco down into him and captured his mouth in a hungry kiss, legs already opening wider to wrap around Draco’s waist.  Draco gave Harry’s ass a quick smack, grinning into the other man’s lips when Harry moaned in pleasure.  He teased his cock along Harry’s entrance a few times before he quickly grabbed the jar of lube they’d taken to keeping in the bedside table.  Spells worked better but sometimes, like in situations like this, they found themselves naked in bed with their wands the Gods only knew where, and Draco wasn’t as adept at wandless magic as his lover.

 

Coating both his own cock and Harry’s ass liberally with the lube, he gave his lover’s ass cheek another hard slap before capturing his lips again.  He could spend hours just snogging the beautiful Gryffindor and enjoy every single second of it.  But that wasn’t what he needed right now.  He needed to possess, he needed to claim…

 

He needed Harry.

 

Pulling back, he met the other man’s eyes, growling, “Look at me Potter.”  Harry’s eyes snapped open and found his.  He caressed a gentle hand along the other man’s cheek before he leaned forward and whispered, “You belong to me.  You’re mine lover.  _Always_ ,” right before he sank hard and fast into the other man’s waiting body.

 

Harry’s head flew back in pleasure and he wrapped his legs tighter around Draco’s waist, but he somehow managed to keep his eyes locked with Draco’s.  And when he spoke, his voice was panting and thready with lust… and something that Draco wanted to believe might be the beginning of love… as he said, “Yours.  Always yours my Draco.”  He whimpered and wrapped a hand around Draco’s neck, pulling him down to him as he said, “Gods please baby… please I need you.”

 

Draco complied, feeling that possessive beast inside of him slightly appeased by the words and the needy little moans.  He captured Harry’s lips in a hungry kiss as he began to move inside of him.  His hips snapped forward again and again, his hands reaching up to pinch Harry’s nipples lightly.  He wanted to imprint himself on every inch of the beautiful Wizard.  And thankfully, Harry seemed to want that too. 

 

They were both nearing the edge within moments, too wound up to make anything linger.  Draco watched as Harry reached for his cock, but he slapped his hand away, growling, “My job,” before his lips slid down to the other man’s neck and began to suck and bite there, marking him.  His hand went to Harry’s cock and he began to pump it in time to his thrusts, flicking his thumb over the tip in the way he knew Harry liked.  He was coming to know every single inch of Harry’s body and everything that could make him whimper and groan in pleasure.  He knew what the other man needed, and he gave it over and over.

 

And when he knew Harry was right on the edge and one more hit to his prostate would send him over, he growled commandingly, “Look at me Harry.”

 

Harry’s eyes opened and met his.  Draco growled in pleasure before giving a final thrust into that tight hole, hitting him at just the right angle, and watched as Harry’s face melted in ecstasy that _Draco_ had given him.  Hot cum splattered across Draco’s hand and Harry’s stomach and Draco continued to squeeze and tug at his cock, draining every last ounce of pleasure from his lover before he finally gave in to his own desperate need and poured himself deep inside Harry’s waiting body with a hoarse shout of, “Gods I love you…” before he collapsed, trembling, on top of him.

 

And as they both held one another, trembling with aftershocks and purring in post-coital bliss, Draco’s seed did the opposite of what Lucius had wanted. 

 

It bound them even closer…


	21. Chapter 21

~*~*~ Chapter 21 ~*~*~

 

He hadn’t said it back.  Waking in his boyfriend’s arms after their incredible time together was wonderful, but the first thing that his brain could truly process, after it registered the pleasure of Draco’s arms still surrounding him and the pleasant lethargy of his extremely satisfied body, was the fact that Draco had told him he loved him, and he hadn’t said it back.

 

Certainly, he’d _showed_ Draco how he felt.  His body was sore in some of the most pleasant ways possible with how much he’d showed him.  But that was sort of a cop out wasn’t it?  If you felt something that powerful, you should say it, not just show it.

 

And then Draco woke up, smiled and kissed him gently and he opened his mouth to rectify the situation by telling his boyfriend in no uncertain terms that he loved him… when Draco glanced at the clock on the mantle above the fire and swore because they’d overslept.  He jumped out of bed and ran to the restroom to quickly run through his ablutions, urging Harry to get up and do so as well, and cursing because they had a practical test in Transfiguration that he had intended to do a little more studying for before class and now he wouldn’t be able to.  Harry, feeling a sense of urgency from Draco, moved to quickly throw on some clothes and brush his teeth because with Draco in a panic, it didn’t seem like quite the right time for declarations of affection.

 

Except that ‘the right time’ didn’t seem to manifest itself.  They raced to the Great Hall and quickly shoved food into their mouths and so that definitely wasn’t the right time.  They then raced to Transfiguration and the Gods knew that the middle of class and a test wasn’t the right time.  And then Draco was obsessing over his performance while they ate lunch and worrying that he’d not done as well as he could have, and that definitely wasn’t the right time.

 

And Harry was becoming more and more frantic with the idea that he _should have said it_!!!

 

By the time they were heading to potions class, Harry was almost beside himself thinking about this.  Draco had managed to calm down over lunch and was walking with his arm slung around Harry’s shoulders, relaxed and even apologizing for being a prat earlier.  Harry managed a smile and told him that he was used to it and Draco rolled his eyes and gave his neck a nip before they took their seats together.

 

He was about to work up his courage to say the words when Ron walked in with Hermione and he forgot all about saying something to his boyfriend.  Ron was so flushed his freckles blended into his face and he couldn’t meet Harry’s eyes even as he came right up to him at their table.  Harry felt Draco stiffen and move slightly closer to him, but to Harry’s surprise, it wasn’t to him that Ron’s first words were addressed.  It was Draco.

 

“Hey ah… look Malfoy… I just… I wanted ta say that… well… what I mean ta say is that I’m… I didn’ mean ta-“

 

To both Harry and apparently Ron’s surprise, Draco held up a hand and said, “Weasley, calm down.  It’s alright.  I know you weren’t trying to steal my boyfriend.”  A slight smirk slid over the blonde’s face and he added, “Which is lucky for you since you’d lose that one with no contest.”  His smile faded as he said, “It wasn’t your fault.  And honestly, considering you were beating yourself up, I think it’s safe to say my job’s done aye?”

 

Ron let out a breath and smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck, “Aye.  Pomfrey said it was obvious I grew up with five brothers.  Told ‘er Ginny was far eviler with ‘er fists than all the rest combined.”

 

Draco laughed and then nodded and said, “We’re good Weasley.  But ah…” his boyfriend looked at him, “Don’t you think that it’s Harry you should be apologizing to?”

 

Ron swallowed tightly, still not meeting Harry’s eyes, and muttered, “Believe it’er not Malfoy… yer easier.”

 

Then the redhead took a slow breath and finally turned to look at Harry.  He shifted from foot to foot and opened his mouth to speak-

 

Before he could, Harry moved forward and pulled him into a tight hug.  He squeezed his best mate until the other boy squeaked and said, “Thank you for fighting so hard Ron.  I always knew you were the best mate a bloke could have.”

 

Ron remained stiff in his arms for a long moment, then finally wrapped his arms around Harry in return and squeezed him.  When they pulled back, he was still blushing, but his expression was calmer as he said, “I jus don’t bloody get it mate.  I mean, why would anyone want us ta…” he shook his head, blushing harder again as he gestured between them.

 

Harry nodded in understanding, “I don’t get it either.  Anyone who knows us at all would know that’s just,” he shuddered, “ _Never_ going to happen.  And really, what’s the end goal?  I mean, as soon as the potion wore off we’d be horrified and then never speak of it again.”

 

“Too right we would,” Ron agreed wholeheartedly.  “Doesn’ make any bloody sense.  What could-“

 

“If you four have finished your rather pointless ruminations in the middle of my classroom, perhaps we could consider working on the actual lesson?”

 

They all glanced up with sheepish expressions to see Snape standing behind them looking both bored and annoyed at the same time.  With quickly muttered, ‘Sorry Professor’s’ they all took their seats.  Snape rolled his eyes dramatically and moved up to the front of the classroom to begin the lesson.  And since Harry had already studied this particular potion with Draco, who was absolutely obsessed with getting the Potions Apprenticeship that Snape had dangled before them and insisted that he would not have a boyfriend who was pants in his subject, Harry was free to go back to his previous thoughts… i.e. freaking out about the fact that he hadn’t told Draco that he loved him.

 

Of course, he reasoned to himself as he took absent notes, Draco had to _know_ that he loved him.  They were basically living together at this point.  Draco still had a few things in his own room (the ponce had filled one side of their huge joint closet but still had more clothes in his own closet) but he only ever used it as storage at this point.  His cat had his litter box and food in Harry’s room and slept curled up with Sirius the snake like they’d been friends forever.  Harry and Draco spent all their time together or with their friends, and the Gods knew that they basically had their hands all over one another constantly.

 

Yet he hadn’t. Fucking. Said. It!!!

 

And so it was that he had himself worked into such a fucking state that, halfway through Snape’s lecture on the need to add Opaexad eggs slowly and by wand to avoid contaminating them, that he suddenly shouted, “By the by Draco, I love you too!!” when he’d meant to oh-so-subtly say the words under his breath and squeeze his lover’s hand while he made his declaration in the most romantic and not-insane-way possible.

 

Every eye in the classroom turned to look at them, Draco having jumped and made a long, streaking line across his page of notes at Harry’s shout.  The blonde turned incredulous grey eyes on him, his expression somewhere between stunned and happy.

 

Up at the front, Snape rolled his eyes and said, “And is there something particularly scintillating that you’d like to share with the class Mr. Potter which would justify interrupting my lesson?”

 

Harry glanced up at Snape with a look of horror on his face and then looked around to see the room all starring at them with expressions varying between happy, amused, horrified and disgusted.  Harry opened and closed his mouth over and over like a fish out of water, trying to find the words to apologize before he sank through the floor in embarrassment…

 

When Draco took it upon himself to say in his most pompous voice, “Sorry Professor.  Potter’s just stating the obvious.  You know how he has a penchant for that sort of thing.  Please, do go on.”

 

Draco picked up his quill as though he were just going to go back to taking notes and Snape sniffed in annoyance before returning to the subject, going up to the board to write down some instructions.

 

And the second that his back was turned, and despite the fact that half the class was now sniggering and still unabashedly staring at them, Draco turned to Harry, framed his face with his hands and muttered, “Idiot Gryffindor,” before he captured his mouth in a quick, hungry, passionate kiss.  It ended as abruptly as it had started and then the beautiful blonde Slytherin calmly picked up his quill again and went back to his notes as though the moment had never happened.

 

Harry sat still, his head still slightly upturned toward Draco’s kiss and his expression rather glazed with pleasure before he realized what he was doing.  He flushed and quickly picked up his own quill, jotting down some unintelligible notes about Opaexad eggs which wouldn’t help him in the slightest.  But when he glanced over, he caught Draco’s eye and the blonde winked before going back to his work.

 

Harry smiled in pleasure and took Draco’s free hand, squeezing it tenderly before managing to get himself focused.  Draco loved him and knew he loved him back.  He could live with the sniggers still dancing through the room at his expense as long as he knew that…


	22. Chapter 22

~*~*~ Chapter 22 ~*~*~

 

It had been almost a month since Ron had been poisoned with a love potion and the weather had definitely gone from mildly cool to downright cold.  Harry, despite the knowledge that someone was apparently after him and that he needed to keep his guard up, was finding that process more than slightly difficult when he was just so fucking happy.  It wasn’t like with the war where he was essentially miserable and paranoid and had very little to look forward to.  Oh sure, his friends were amazing, and he loved them dearly, and he’d thought for a time that he could be happy with Ginny, but in the back of his mind he’d always been focused on his duty to the Wizarding World and the battle with Voldemort.  He’d also been obsessed with a certain blonde that he hadn’t realized until he was on the run was far more than an enemy, and even once he’d realized how he felt about him, it had seemed hopeless.  Staying focused and on target when he was living a life that seemed to hold nothing but disappointment and danger wasn’t all that hard.

 

But when he was with Draco, everything felt right.  The blonde complimented him in so many ways.  His grades improved because he teased Harry about studying and then rewarded him when he did so (in the very best ways possible).  Sitting next to him in classes, he was more focused than he often was with Ron because, even though they’d hold hands under the table, Draco was serious about his studies and determined to do well which made Harry want to do the same.  Goofing about with Ron was fun, but Draco took extreme pride in every outstanding that Harry earned, puffing up almost as much as when he got his own, and that just made Harry want to work harder to ensure that kept getting those grades.

 

But even beyond his schoolwork, there was a natural balance they seemed to find with one another.  If Draco was being a ponce about his hair, Harry teased him about it and mussed it up until they were both laughing and snogging.  If Harry woke up from a nightmare, Draco wrapped his arms around him and sang in this deep, melodic voice that soothed every quaking terror that plagued the dark-haired savior.  Even when they ate meals, Draco would take Harry’s hated fried tomatoes and Harry would take his hated boiled potatoes and they’d both barely even notice the automatic gestures. 

 

Harry was… _happy_.  Truly happy for perhaps the first time in his life…

 

Or at least, that was the case until Draco caught sight of Harry pulling on a ratty jumper and a pair of old jeans one Saturday and decided that something _had_ to be done about his boyfriend’s pathetic wardrobe.  Harry had looked at him as though he’d gone quite mad, but Draco was having none of it and had promptly pulled him out of the castle and insisted that they head to Hogsmeade to the local Twilfitt and Tattings branch. 

 

And so it was that Harry found himself being draped and pinned and trussed up for an entirely new wardrobe. 

 

“You know I’m still going to want to be comfortable sometimes right?  Jeans, t-shirts, jumpers, that sort of thing?” Harry grumbled as a slim man with dark blonde hair moved around him and carefully pinned a new set of trousers (that, despite his grumblings were extremely comfortable).

 

Draco rolled his eyes, “I am aware that I won’t be able to completely change your heathen ways Potter.  However, there is no excuse not to have clothes that at least _fit_.”  He shook his head, “I swear it’s like most of your clothes that aren’t robes were made for someone about 10 times your size.  You have to belt every pair of jeans and your shirts hang off of you.”

 

Harry flushed and looked down, mumbling, “They _were_ made for someone else,” and shifting his leg to give the attendant better access to his inseam.

 

Frowning, Draco said, “What?”

 

Harry sighed and waved him off, saying, “Nothing.  Just… how much longer?  This is the first time we’ve bothered going to Hogsmeade.  We should do something fun.”

 

Draco continued to eye him and seemed to contemplate saying something more, but then he finally let it go, much to Harry’s relief, and said, “Oh alright fine.  They’ve got your measurements and the fabrics I picked out.  I suppose we can go and they can deliver the clothes.”

 

The attendant quickly nodded and said, “Of course Mr. Malfoy!  We’ll have everything done by Monday at the very latest.”  He glanced up at Harry and then quickly away, saying, “Or… p-perhaps even later tonight.  I… don’t mind working late or anything…”

 

Harry saw Draco’s eyes narrowing on the man and rolled his own as he said, “Monday will be fine.  Even Tuesday or next week.  There’s no rush.” 

 

The young man flushed even hotter and said, “Of c-course Mr. P-Potter… anything you want and-“

 

“Right, we get it, thank you,” Draco said in clipped tones, crossing his arms over his chest and suddenly looking taller somehow.  “Are you through with my _boyfriend_ then?”

 

Blushing furiously, the attendant quickly stepped back and said, “Yes, of course.  No problem.  Ah, thank you, no problem.  We’re… everything is fine.”  He gathered up the various bits of material and measuring and disappeared into the back.

 

Harry grinned slightly and slowly stepped off the raised dais he’d been standing on, moving forward in a slow sort of prowl as he said, “If I didn’t know any better Dragon… I’d say you sounded a little jealous just now…”

 

Draco (who’d been glaring after the attendant’s disappearing form) paused to turn to Harry in obvious surprise.  Then his face morphed into a scowl and he lifted his pointed chin as he said, “Please.  As if _I_ have anything to be jealous about.  Have you seen me?”

 

Moving forward with a soft laugh, Harry slid his arms over Draco’s shoulders and caressed his fingers through his silken hair as he said, “I have seen you actually.”  He leaned forward to nip at that pointy chin and purred for Draco’s ears alone, “Every.  Single.  Inch of you…”

 

Draco shifted, trying to hold onto his haughty glare but obviously finding it more difficult the more Harry spoke.  Finally, he gave in and slid his arms around Harry’s hips, gripping his ass and pulling him tight against him as he said, “And?” and rocked his hips slowly into Harry’s.

 

Harry grinned and leaned forward to purr against his lips, “And if you think you’re ever getting away from me now that I’ve got you my Dragon… you don’t realize just how good a Seeker I really am.”  He nibbled on Draco’s full lower lip and then purred against it, “Once I’ve caught you, I never let you go.”

 

Draco had relaxed into him completely with every word and now he growled softly and caught the back of Harry’s head, yanking him forward and capturing his lips in a slow, hungry kiss that was both possessive and determinedly gentle at the same time.  They continued to snog there in the middle of the shoppe as though they were alone in their bedroom, until the attendant walked back out with Harry’s original clothes in his hands and asked if Harry wanted to wear the new robes he’d just finished adjusting or would prefer to wear his old clothes out.

 

Draco ignored the man and continued to slowly nip and nibble and tease Harry’s mouth even more determinedly, obviously staking a claim for the man who’d been blushing and looking at _his_ Harry, before he finally pulled back only when Harry was completely winded, moaning, and obviously had forgotten even his own name…

 

“You can burn those, he’ll wear these out,” he said haughtily before he tossed a sack of galleons down onto the counter and pulled Harry, with a dazed expression of bliss on his face, firmly from the shoppe.

 

Which was exactly how the first picture that was snapped would show Harry… being pulled from a shoppe with a goofy expression of happiness while Draco grumbled about attendants who seemed to care more about flirting with _his_ boyfriend than their bloody tip. 

 

Both men stilling simultaneously at the snap of the camera, Harry’s eyes came suddenly back into focus and then widened when he saw the milieu about them.  There were reporters surrounding them from all angles, all of them with cameras or notepads, all of them suddenly shouting out questions.

 

“Mr. Potter!  Mr. Potter!  Is this Death Eater attacking you?!”

 

“Mr. Potter!  Is it true that you’ve claimed Draco Malfoy is your boyfriend?!”

 

“Mr. Potter!  We’ve gotten word that you’re dating the Captain of the Hollyhead Harpies!  Does she know about your affair with Mr. Malfoy?!”

 

“Mr. Potter, are you under some curse?  Is Mr. Malfoy holding you against your will?!”

 

“Mr. Potter!  Mr. Potter!!!”

 

Harry was momentarily blinded by all the flashing cameras and the sudden rush of people around him.  He opened his mouth to speak but only managed, “I… it… Draco’s my boyfriend and… it…”

 

“Mr. Potter!  Do you believe that your time fighting He Who Must Not Be Named caused you to be attracted to one of His followers?”

 

“What about Oliver Wood Mr. Potter?!  We were told you were seeing him!  Does he know about this latest development?!“

 

Harry’s breath began to pant out of him.  He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t catch a breath.  There were so many people.  They were all so close and he couldn’t move.  He and Draco had been thrust together by the crowd and there was no air around them.  The reporters just kept pushing in closer and closer and-

 

“Mr. Potter is it true that-“

 

Suddenly there was a thundering ‘boom!’ and seconds later Harry found himself with Ginny Weasley’s arm around his waist, Neville on his other side, while Dean and Seamus pushed back the throng of reporters to make a path.  They kept moving, Harry and Draco pressed firmly between the group, until they were finally away from the throng and inside the Hog’s Head. 

 

Harry stumbled his way forward to the bar and collapsed against it, his stomach heaving and his face slightly blue as he tried to catch his breath. 

 

Draco was there instantly beside him, wrapping his arms around his waist and just holding him without any words needing to be spoken.  He kept Harry clasped against him, chest to back, and whispered into Harry’s ear, “Breathe with me lover.  Match your breath to mine.”  He took a deep breath in and let Harry feel it, placing one hand over Harry’s heart which was beating faster than a hare caught in a wolf’s gaze.  “Breathe with me baby… nice and slow… breathe…”

 

It took several moments, but finally Draco’s soft tones and the tender caress of his hands over Harry’s stomach and chest helped him to find his equilibrium.  He drew in breath with Draco and slowly felt his heart match the beat of the other man’s that he could feel hammering against his shoulders. 

 

Letting his head fall back to Draco’s shoulder as a wash of dizziness swept over him, he wasn’t surprised when heard Draco call for water before half leading, half carrying him over to a table and helping him into a chair.  He barely noticed that Ginny, Nevil, Dean and Seamus were all still standing around him, though giving him space.  They settled themselves into seats as Aberforth brought over a glass of Firewhiskey and said, “Drink this.  Nice and slow.”

 

Harry took the glass in trembling hands and slowly lifted it to his lips.  He took a small sip, feeling the strong whiskey burn its way gently down his throat, and felt some more of his equilibrium return to him, the rest of the world beyond Draco, who was sitting in front of him with both of Harry’s hands clasped in his and a worried look on his face, slowly came into focus. 

 

Closing his eyes in shame, Harry whispered, “Tell me I didn’t pass out again… please?”

 

Ginny sighed as she took one of the empty seats at the table, the rest of their group doing the same.  “No Harry, you didn’t.  You did great.  Just take a bit more whiskey ok?”

 

Harry nodded and drank some more of the whiskey even as Draco said, “This has happened before?”

 

Ginny glanced over at Draco and for a moment her eyes narrowed.  The break-up had been mutual and amiable, and the redhead was happy that Harry seemed happy, but that didn’t mean that she trusted the git any more now than she had previously.  His enmity with her family was well known after all.  “It happens every time that Harry goes into public.  He gets swarmed unless he goes out in his invisibility cloak.”  She frowned at Harry, “Why didn’t you wear it?”

 

Harry sighed and rubbed at his temples, grumbling, “Just… didn’t think about it I guess.  Thing’s’ve been…” he shrugged and grumbled, “I was stupid.”

 

Draco took his hand gently and Harry glanced over at him.  The blonde’s eyes caressed over his face as he said softly, “And here I always thought you were putting on an act about how you didn’t like all the attention.”  He smiled sadly, “Shows what I know.”

 

Harry smiled slightly and muttered, “They just… they always have to swarm round and they never stop asking questions and you can’t catch a breath and-“

 

“Here Potter, try this,” Aberforth said, placing bowls of stew in front of him and the rest of the small group.  “And I’ll bring you some butterbeers as well.”

 

Seamus cocked a brow at the old man and said, “Don’t suppose we could get some more’a that whiskey?”

 

Aberforth rolled his eyes and said, “Seeing as you aren’t about to pass out from a panic attack Mr. Finnegan, no.  _Your_ tab at my bar is far too high as it is.”

 

Seamus grumbled something under his breath and picked up his spoon, though he did manage a smile for Dean when the dark-skinned man took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. 

 

Harry picked up his spoon as well and dipped it into the thick, hearty stew, taking a bite and feeling the warmth fill him immediately.  Aberforth was generally pants with most cooking, people came to the HogsHead for the quiet atmosphere and the alcohol, but he was damned good with stew (probably because he liberally doused it with Fire Whiskey).

 

Ginny, who’d sat down next to Neville, smiled at Harry and said, “Well, you’re getting your colour back at least.  How are you feeling?”

 

Harry smiled at her and said, “I’m ok Gin.  Thanks for your help out there guys,” he nodded to the entire group.

 

Neville smiled as he draped an arm around Ginny’s slim shoulders, “We’re always happy to help mate.  You know that.”  He glanced at Malfoy and shifted slightly.  He’d been the butt of many of the blonde’s jokes, taunts and general cruelty over the years after all.  He was more comfortable with him now, supporting Harry automatically as he always did, but Harry could tell that he was still uncertain around the blonde.

 

Before he could say anything, however, Draco said, “Neville, was that your Depulso that sent several reporters flying?”  Neville jumped and looked at him in near-fear, but Draco went on before he could become too nervous, “Because that was bloody brilliant!  I don’t think they knew what hit them.”

 

Neville blinked at Draco in shock for a moment, then a slight, self-deprecating smile slid over his lips as she said, “Aye well… Ginny’s is stronger.  We actually don’t let her handle situations like that most of the time.  Too many people wind up in St. Mungos.”

 

Ginny rolled her eyes at him, “Bunch of whiners.  A little fall never hurt anyone.”

 

Seamus snorted, “Oh aye.  Except for the ones with broken bones from being slammed into walls, it never hurt anyone.”

 

Neville grinned with pride and leaned forward to press a quick kiss to his girlfriend’s lips.  Ginny, being Ginny, threaded her hands into his hair and pulled him into her, kissing him slowly and deeply and teasing her tongue along his mouth with obvious relish.  When she finally drew back, Neville looked about as dazed as Harry usually felt after one of Draco’s snog sessions, but Harry had a feeling that the flush on his face wasn’t from embarrassment anymore.

 

Dean rolled his eyes, “And there’s him useless for the rest of the afternoon.”  He shook his head and focused on Draco, “So, how’d you get Harry into something other than school robes or ratty jeans and t-shirts?”  He looked Harry over and said, “He looks damned good.”  A quick, ‘Ahem?’ from Seamus and he added hastily, “Though not as good as you of course love.”

 

Seamus rolled his eyes at his boyfriend before stealing a bite of his stew in payback (he’d already finished his bowl in a time that would put Ron to shame).

 

Draco grinned slightly and said, “Oh, I have my ways with this one.  Can’t have my boyfriend wandering round in old clothes that look like they were hand-me-downs from an Erumpent.”

 

Harry snorted, “Good description of him actually,” he muttered as he finished off his stew, sitting back from the table with a sigh of contentment.

 

Draco frowned at him in confusion but before he could ask anything, the others were off talking about what else they should do while they were in Hogsmeade.  Harry shifted uncertainly but he could tell that, even though Draco engaged with the group and laughed with them, he hadn’t let that go either.  Harry was going to have to do some explaining about his past.

 

Whether he wanted to or not…


	23. Chapter 23

~*~*~ Chapter 23 ~*~*~

 

Draco was still reeling from the whirlwind trip back to the Castle that his boyfriend had just taken him on when they entered their rooms.  They’d been wandering Honeydukes and he’d leaned forward to say he should buy some of the honey sticks and use them for edible paint on Harry’s body when Harry went suddenly rigid, eyes glazing as he peered off into the distance.  At first, he’d been smirking, thinking he’d gotten to him that well…

 

Then Harry shrieked, “Teddy!!!”, grabbed hold of him by the wrist, apparated the to the edge of the castle wards and then raced at top speed back inside.  He’d been quite certain his boyfriend was losing his bloody mind-

 

Until he heard a voice speaking from their fire.

 

He frowned over at the fire and caught sight of his Aunt Andromeda’s head sticking out of it.  He blinked at her in confusion and said, “Aunt Andromeda?”

 

Andromeda glanced over at him and blinked in surprise before smiling slightly, “Ah Draco.  Hello again dear.  Harry mentioned in his letters that you were seeing one another.”

 

Draco frowned at the woman that he’d seen visiting with his mother this past summer (he’d been hiding in his rooms so he only came across her once or twice).  He knew that they’d reconciled after the war and he was happy for his Mother that she had someone else to talk to, but he’d not exactly been in the mood for visitors.  Now he looked between she and Harry, saying, “You write letters to one another?”  Then he remembered Harry mentioning that he was his little cousin’s Godfather, “Oh right, Teddy.  I keep forgetting about that.”

 

Harry moved forward, saying, “I’m so sorry Rommie.  I completely forgot it was my weekend with him.  You’ve not been waiting long have you?”

 

Waving him off, Andromeda laughed and said, “Teddy hasn’t even had time to get impatient, you’re only a few minutes late.  Are you still ok to take him?”

 

Harry hesitated a moment and glanced at Draco.  Draco was frowning in confusion because he’d not realized they had plans like this and also wasn’t sure how they were supposed to pick up his cousin, but when Harry looked at him with that uncertain but hopeful expression, he merely nodded quickly.  If it made Harry happy, that’s all that mattered.

 

Harry smiled and gave him a quick kiss before he said, “Absolutely Rommie, send him through.”

 

Draco was frowning even more until he suddenly heard Andromeda say, “Alright little one, let’s go, before calling out, “Harry Potter’s Quarters at Hogwarts.”  Seconds later the fireplace flared to life with green flames and his Aunt stepped forward holding his little cousin, who took one look at Harry and started squealing in delight and kicking to try and get to him.

 

Shifting slightly, he said, “You ah… failed to mention we’ve a floo in our bloody bedroom Potter.  These are important details…”

 

Harry, who was in the process of accepting the rambunctious toddler and cuddling him, looked up sheepishly and said, “Well it’s only connected to Rommie and even then, only on a very strict schedule.  I don’t use the whole ‘Savior’ thing often but getting to see Teddy while I was still at school I felt was a good reason to pull some strings.”

 

Draco smiled, moving forward to caress a hand along his back as he said, “Absolutely.  Can’t think of a better reason to pull strings.”

 

Teddy glanced at him and smiled happily, his hair suddenly switching from the pure ebony of Harry’s that it had shifted to, into a white-blonde that matched Draco’s.  Draco laughed in pleasure.  He’d heard that the boy was a Metamorphmagus, but he’d never seen it. 

 

Andromeda smiled slightly even as she settled a bag with various items for the baby down onto the desk.  “Right, well I’m heading over to spend some time with Cissy.  You boys have fun hmm?”

 

Draco blinked at his aunt and felt himself go pale (which was a feat for him).  He moved forward quickly and said, “Oh ah, Aunt Andromeda-“

 

“You can call me Rommie or Andy, Draco.  I don’t mind,” she interrupted with a smile.

 

Draco felt a flush of warmth go through him.  He’d never had any Aunts and Uncles except for Bellatrix and she didn’t exactly give one warm and fuzzy feelings.  Having an Aunt who was actually nice was… disconcerting…

 

Managing a smile for her, she said, “Aunt Andy… could you maybe _not_ mention to Mum that Harry and I are together?  I wus planning to tell her when Harry and I go home for Christmas… didn’t seem like the kind of thing she should hear about in a letter you know?”

 

Andromeda considered him for a long moment with an expression he wasn’t quite sure he followed… as though she knew something he didn’t.  He couldn’t imagine what though.  His Mother wasn’t like Lucius, she didn’t have spies all over Hogwarts to tell her his every move.  And it wasn’t like he wasn’t planning to tell her about the pair of them… he couldn’t wait to do so actually.  But he just wanted to do it in person and Harry understood that so-

 

“Not a problem dear,” Andromeda said without further comment.  She merely smiled at him with that same, strange smile before she turned back to Harry and Teddy and said, “Alright, well you’ve got him overnight but if you need to bring him home sooner, the floo will be open throughout the weekend and Cissy is coming to my place so I’ll be home.”

 

Harry, who was laughing as Teddy as he babbled on in unintelligible baby, glanced up at Andromeda distractedly and said, “Right, yeah of course, no problem,” before he went right back to babbling back at Teddy as though the 7-month-old and he were having a perfectly normal conversation.

 

Draco rolled his eyes and said, “I have a feeling we’ll be fine,” with a slight laugh.  “Don’t worry.”

 

Andromeda smiled fondly at her Grandson and Harry before she nodded to Draco and said, “I’ll see you three tomorrow around 6pm.”  She gave a little wave before she disappeared into the flames again.

 

Draco turned back to his boyfriend once the flames had switched from green back to their normal, dancing gold and orange, and smiled when he saw that Harry was already seated on their bed and teasing Teddy with tickles while telling him all about his year at Hogwarts so far as though the baby could understand him.

 

Shaking his head, he moved over to Harry’s trunk, which was empty at the moment, and quickly transfigured it into a crib.  A crib with green silk sheets and snakes twining along the rails, but hey, he was who he was.

 

Once he was done, he turned back to Harry and Teddy and felt as though he’d been punched in the stomach when he saw them.  Harry looked so… _natural_ with Teddy.  He looked as though he’d been holding babies his entire life, and he was so gentle and caring with him.  And Draco felt the strangest longing sear through his body.  It was a longing he didn’t completely understand, but he knew he _wanted_ what he was seeing.  A little boy with his white-blonde hair and Harry’s dragon’s eyes.  And the image was so vivid that he had to reach out and steady himself on the crib.

 

Harry glanced over at him and frowned slightly, pulling Teddy up against his chest as he said, “Dray?  You alright?”

 

Draco quickly righted himself and managed a smile, shaking his head as he said, “I’m fantastic lover.”  He moved forward and sank down next to the pair before Harry could ask any more questions.  They were both 18 years old.  Now wasn’t the time to be thinking about children for goodness sake.  They were still just barely out of being children themselves.

 

Except… they weren’t.  The war had aged all of those who’d fought in it a great deal faster than they might have otherwise.  They hadn’t been children for a long time, he and Harry especially…

 

Putting the thoughts aside, he focused on his nephew and said, “You’re really good with him.  If I didn’t know better, I’d think you had experience with this sort of thing.”

 

Harry smiled and shook his head, tickling his fingers along Teddy’s neck and causing the boy to laugh and squirm as he said, “Nah, Teddy just makes me look good, don’t ya buddy?”  He pulled out his wand and began to make little bubbles for the boy, adding, “Though I’ve been spending time with him as often as I could all summer, so that helps.  Once school started, we arranged with Headmaster McGonagall to have several weekends that I could keep him.  It gives Rommie a break and also gives me time to spend with him.”

 

Draco smiled and added some little fireworks that popped and sizzled along the bubbles, causing Teddy to laugh wildly as he reached for the display.  And even though it was a sweet moment, he couldn’t help a niggling question.  And he knew he needed to ask because otherwise it would keep bothering him.  So, he met Harry’s eyes and said, “Harry… about earlier… whut you said when we were shopping for clothes…”

 

Harry’s eyes swung to him with a look that might have been panic for a moment… then he sighed and seemed to resign himself to something.  Shaking his head, he grumbled, “Should’ve known you wouldn’t let that go.”

 

Draco considered doing just that.  He didn’t want to upset the other man or make him relive something unpleasant… but he’d gotten the impression that everyone knew something that he didn’t about Harry.  And considering what had been practically a life-long obsession with the obsidian haired wizard, that was rather frightening to imagine.

 

He shifted and said, “I just… you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” he offered.

 

Harry sighed and said, “No… no it’s alright.  I just don’t really like talking about my childhood is all.” 

 

Again, Draco considered taking back the question, but Harry was already standing, hefting Teddy up to his hip as he said, “Well, come on.  Might as well walk whilst we talk.  Teddy loves roaming the school grounds.”  He pointed his wand at the boy and his simple little jumper and tiny jeans were covered by a thick set of fluffy, warm robes.  He pulled on his own warm robes and started to pick up the diaper bag, but Draco was there first, lifting it over his shoulder before opening the door for the pair.  Manners had been instilled in him since birth, not that most people realized it given his behavior during the majority of his school life at Hogwarts.  He watched Harry blush slightly before smiling his thanks and leading the way out. 

 

Only once they were out on the grounds with a strong warming charm around them to keep the crisp November air from affecting Teddy, did Harry begin to speak.  Leading the way toward the Black Lake he said, “I think you know that I was raised by my Aunt and Uncle.  My Aunt Petunia was my mother’s sister and my only living relative.  They were muggles and… not the good kind.  They didn’t really like me.”  He gave a bitter laugh and said, “Yeah, that’s putting it mildly.  They hated me. My Uncle Vernon still does, though I think my Aunt and cousin may have lightened up a bit… if only a bit.”

 

And then his Harry went on to describe his life with the Dursleys.  He described living in the cupboard under the stairs.  He described the beatings from his cousin Dudley as well as his Uncle.  He described essentially being a servant in the house, an unwanted secret that they tried to keep.  He described how often he’d gone without meals, how even the word ‘magic’ had been enough to set his relatives off. 

 

The worst part was, as horrific as it all sounded, Draco had a horrible feeling that Harry was softening the memories to make them seem not quite as bad as they’d been…

 

It was nearing dusk by the time Harry wound down and Teddy had fallen asleep as they wandered the grounds talking.  He was cuddled up in Harry’s arms, his head resting on his shoulder and his face positively angelic as he slept blissfully against his Godfather. 

 

Draco, however, was seething.

 

He’d always assumed, like most people, that Harry had lived a life of luxury once he’d been taken away.  Granted, he’d been with muggles, but he’d assumed he lived in a mansion to rival Malfoy Manor.  He’d assumed he’d lived with servants and been hailed as the Chosen One and been spoiled rotten…

 

He’d never even _imagined_ how wrong he’d been…

 

He waited until they were back inside and had shifted Teddy to his crib before he spoke.  Harry had been moving sluggishly, looking uncertain.  It was as though he expected Draco to reject him for his past.  It would have hurt, but Draco understood.  He’d never hidden the fact that he’d come from privilege, hell he’d tossed it in people’s faces as often as he could.  And he’d certainly made enough comments about the Weasley’s being poor to make anyone question how he’d react to such a history.

 

So, he didn’t speak.  He just waited until Harry had finally turned toward him and then framed his face and said softly, “If I ever meet those muggles, I will not be held responsible for what I’ll do to them m’love.”

 

Then he kissed Harry tenderly and pulled him close, just holding him.  Harry was stiff at first, obviously uncertain… then he seemed to melt into Draco’s arms and they simply held one another as the past faded away.  What had happened mattered.  It had made them who they were.  But it was the future that was important.  And their futures would be spent together if Draco had anything to say about it.  He’d make certain that Harry Potter never wanted for anything ever again.

 


	24. Chapter 24

~*~*~ Chapter 24 ~*~*~

 

It was the beginning of December when the sneezing started.  The sight of Harry and Draco stealing moments to snog in darkened alcoves and holding hands while walking down corridors had become such a common occurrence that people rarely stopped to gawk anymore (or rather, they gawked, but they at least managed to keep moving whilest they did so rather than stopping in shock or running into things).  The sight of Draco, Pansy and Greg at the Gryffindor table had become so common that even the Gryffindors who weren’t extremely close to Harry had begun to drift forward to chat with them (including one Parvati Patil, who seemed to have taken quite an interest in Greg). 

 

Today was just another of those days.  They’d commandeered a long table at the library and now Harry and Draco were seated next to one another with Ron and Hermione, Greg and Pansy, Parvati and Luna, and Dean and Seamus all gathered together studying.  Everyone was focused on their NEWTs, (well, Ron and Seamus less so, but their respective lovers generally bullied them into focusing most of the time) and were discussing some of their various revisions when Harry suddenly sneezed.  It had happened a few times over the last few days and everyone just assumed he was coming down with something so no one commented on it, merely continued their conversations.

 

Until Harry sneezed again… and then again… and then five more times in succession.

 

Harry glowered over at Seamus and growled, “Mate, did you put sneezing powder into-“

 

Seamus held up his hands and said, “Here now, don’t look at me mate.  Ya think I’m gonna prank a man whose dating someone that thought dressin up as a Dementor during a Quidditch match wus ‘good fun’?” 

 

Draco grinned a rather evil grin at the Irishman, then frowned when, before Harry could respond, he began sneezing again.  This time there were at least a dozen before the ebony-haired man finished and Madam Pince, who’d returned to the school at Headmistress McGonagall’s urging, was rushing forward and shushing him.

 

“Well it’s not like he can help bloody sneezing,” Ron grumbled at the older woman.  She gave him a look that clearly said she didn’t feel his logic held any bearing and headed off.

 

Draco, however, was looking more concerned than amused.  He had pulled out a silver and green handkerchief and was handing it to Harry even as he said, “Do you have any allergies love?  I’ve never noticed you sneezing before.  Did you check your food before you ate this morning?”

 

Harry, who was once again sneezing into the handkerchief, glowered at his boyfriend and said between sneezes, “Don’t be daft Dray.  After someone slipped the mickey to Ron I only let Kreacher make food for the four of us.”  When Ron and Hermione both looked at him in surprise, Harry blushed below his now-watering-dragon’s eyes and grumbled, “I… it just seemed smarter than-“

 

He broke off because he was sneezing again and Pince was once again glaring and loudly ‘shushing’ him. 

 

“You really should see Professor Snape about getting some of the anti-sneezing potion Harry.  It’s only going to get worse as things progress.”

 

Everyone at the table turned at the sound of that dreamy voice.  Luna, however, had returned her attention to Pansy.  She’d settled down very close to the Slytherin girl and was calmly shifting a bit closer as she said quietly, “Don’t you think a Demiguise would work better there Pans,” and pointed to a section of the girl’s work. 

 

Draco blinked at the strange girl.  He’d become more familiar with Loony Lovegood than he’d ever expected thanks to her friendship with Harry.  She seemed to just sort of float along, randomly spouting off things that could either be nonsense or incredibly insightful, which meant that you really needed to pay attention to what she said (he’d almost suspect that that was the point of the way she behaved except that she didn’t seem to have a Slytherin bone in her little body). 

 

Frowning, he leaned more toward her and said, “I… hang on a minute?  What do you mean ‘as things progress’?  As what progresses and…” he cursed as Harry began to sneeze again, true panic starting to set in.  “What the devil… do you know something Lovegood?”

 

Loony glanced up at him with those strange silvery-blue eyes of hers and then frowned and said, “Well… I know a lot of things.  I mean, I know that you’ve got Snoofalomps chasing after you, but you seem to be able to keep them at bay with the Wolsomys, so I didn’t think it was really worth-“

 

Draco was staring at her, trying to figure out what in the name of Merlin ‘Snoofalomp’s and ‘Wolsomy’s were, but Harry interrupted before it got any more insane.

 

“No Luna, he means about my-“ he broke off to sneeze a few more times and then said, “bloody sneezing.”

 

Luna frowned as she looked around the table at everyone and said, “Well… sneezing _is_ one of the first stages of pregnancy when one uses the Virilis Graviditas potion… I thought everyone knew that.”

 

Even Madame Pince, who’d come over to do some more shushing, stopped dead in her tracks at that before every single eye slid to Harry… and then down to his stomach.

 

Luna, who’d gone back to sidling closer to Pansy, smiled as she brushed her hand gently along the other girl’s and said, “You really have the loveliest fingernails Pansy.  I can’t wait until you do mine for me.”  She sighed dreamily and said, “We’re going to be really happy.”

 

There were so many insane things happening at once that for a long time, everyone just sat and stared between Luna petting Pansy’s hand and Harry’s flat abdomen.

 

Then Harry began to sneeze again, and all Hades broke loose.

 

“Harry!!  What were you thinking!  We still have the rest of classes to get through and then our exams and how can you expect to do that while you’re pregnant?!” Hermione gasped.

 

“Have you gone outta yer bleedin mind mate?!  You can’t have a baby!!!  That’s for girls to do!” Ron said, looking absolutely horrified.

 

“Oi!  Stealin my thunder you are!  Dean an I were plannin’ ta have a go at a baby right after we graduated!  Me mum’s been on about it since we told ‘er we were tagether in 5thyear.” Seamus said, looking truly disgruntled.

 

“How can Harry be pregnant? Draco’s the girly one.  Shouldn’t he be the one pregnant?” Greg asked, his brows drawn together in confusion (not an uncommon look on the man).

 

Draco and Harry didn’t appear to hear these, or any of the other comments that were racing around the table at an ever-increasing-volume.  They were both just staring down at Harry’s stomach as though expecting something to jump out of it and attack them.

 

Finally, Madame Pince raised her voice to be heard above the din as she said, “That is _enough!_ ”  When everyone had gone silent, she pointed a shaking finger at Harry and said, “Get yourself to hospital wing Mr. Potter.  I’ll not have you sneezing all over my books.  And anyone else who cannot remain silent can accompany him.”

 

Draco remained seated for a long moment, still just staring… and then Harry sneezed again and he jumped up as though a fire had been lit beneath his ass.  He grabbed hold of his lover and pulled him tight into his arms before he began to practically race from the room and toward the hospital wing.


	25. Chapter 25

~*~*~ Chapter 25 ~*~*~

 

Harry was allowing himself to be drug along by his boyfriend without even really noticing where they were going.  Pregnant? Him?  He… he couldn’t be pregnant.  That made no kind of sense at all.  He was… he was _him_.  And he and Draco, they’d just gotten started.  He didn’t even know if Draco _wanted_ kids, let alone was ready to have them!! 

 

Not to mention, he was a _boy_!!!  It wasn’t like he could just accidentally get himself knocked up.  It took planning and preparation.  It took a bloody potion that he was fairly sure he’d have remembered imbibing and-

 

Before he could follow his own logic any further, however, he found himself in Hospital Wing with his rather-wild-eyed-boyfriend shouting for Madame Pomfrey while pushing him gently but firmly down onto a free bed. 

 

Everything that happened after that was a bit of a blur.  Pomfrey came over and listened to Draco babbling about sneezing (and just the mention of it seemed to set off his damned nose because he was suddenly trying to sneeze his brains out).  Then Pomfrey was sighing and rolling her eyes before she pulled out her wand and began to cast diagnostic spells…  Draco was holding onto his shoulders and telling him that everything would be alright and speaking soothing words and generally just being about as perfect as a boyfriend could be.

 

And then Pomfrey was pronouncing that he was approximately a month and a half into his pregnancy and that the babe was coming along fine… and if Draco hadn’t been holding onto him, Harry would have toppled forward as gnats set up buzzing inside his head and everything went floaty.

 

When he came back to his senses, he was laying back in bed with Draco holding onto his hands and telling him that it would be ok while Pomfrey commented that it was just a little shock and he’d be fine and she’d get him some pre-natal potions before she tottered off like it was just the most normal thing in the world to inform a man that he was pregnant when he’d not been planning to get that way…

 

“I… I can’t… think and… feeling… strange…”

 

Draco was cursing and calling out for Pomfrey but Harry shook his head, clinging to Draco’s hand as he said, “Air… I need… I need air… Dray please…”

 

Draco took one look at him and then called out to Pomfrey that they’d be back for the potions before he half-picked Harry up and was once again racing through the corridors with him. The rest of the group, who’d just managed to make it to hospital wing after collecting all of their things and heading out after the two racing boys, blinked when the pair once again rushed past them. Draco paid the group no mind as he continued half-walking-with, half-carrying Harry through the hallways and out the front doors.

 

And only when the cold air cut through his lungs like a knife did he finally feel the haze that had descended around his brain begin to ebb.  He felt the gnats still buzzing round his brain dissipate and sucked in several, greedy-lungs-full as he tried to calm his racing heart. 

 

Pregnant.  He was pregnant.  He and Draco were going to have a baby.  Because no matter that he hadn’t taken any potion, there was no one whose baby it could be except for Draco’s.

 

Then, all at once, his hand slid down to his flat, muscular abdomen and he curled his fingers there protectively.  And when he finally looked up at his boyfriend, who was hovering over him and looking absolutely terrified, his green eyes were fierce as he said, “I’ve no idea how this happened Draco… but no one is taking that baby away from me. He’s us.”

 

Draco blinked at him several times, as did the others who’d finally caught up (and were panting more than a little).  The beautiful blonde’s eyes widened and then slid down to where Harry’s hand was curled so protectively over his belly.  And then all at once, those beautiful silver eyes softened.  Some of the panic on his face seemed to melt away and his breathing became steadier.

 

Moving closer, Draco held out one long-fingered hand and splayed it with Harry’s over his abdomen. He curled their fingers together, his eyes never leaving Harry’s, and said softly, “Ours,” with all the possession he normally reserved for the word ‘mine’ anytime he got ‘claimy’ in bed.  It filled Harry’s heart with a kind of warmth he’d never imagined, just as it always did, and then Harry was surging forward to wrap his arms around his lover and kiss him as though Draco were the air and he was starving for oxygen.

 

The kiss went on for several moments.  A kiss of passion and possession and wild adoration… until Hermione smacked first Harry, then Draco upside the backs of their heads and growled, “Well I’m so happy that you’re both happy, but judging by your reactions I’m guessing you didn’t do this on purpose, so maybe we should try to figure out what in the world happened?!”

 

The pair broke apart, panting and still clinging to one another.  They both reached up at the same moment to rub the backs of their heads, then glanced at Hermione and muttered, “Sorry ‘Mione,” in tandem.

 

The pretty little witch harrumphed and then said, “Right.  Come back inside so we can talk.  It’s too cold to be standing round in doorways making a spectacle of ourselves.”  She turned on her heel and led the way, head held high.  And when she saw Ron wasn’t following, she rolled her eyes, grabbed his hand and with a grumbled, “Come along Ronald,” headed out with her boyfriend in tow, the others all following while sneaking glances back at Harry and Draco every few moments.

 

Harry and Draco took a moment to just stare at one another, then finally Draco reached out and took Harry’s hand.  Their fingers slid together and twined close before Draco said softly, “Right.  We’ll figure this out lover.”

 

Harry felt a swell of love race through him and smiled slowly at the beautiful blonde.  No recriminations.  No questions about whether Harry had done this.  Not even a vague question about whether it was his.  Just a possessive glint in his eyes, and a firm promise that they’d be together no matter what.

 

“I love you,” Harry whispered in a slightly breathless voice.

 

Draco glanced at him, then smirked slightly and said, “I know Potter,” before giving him a wink and tugging him forward so that they could catch up with Hermione.


	26. Chapter 26

~*~*~ Chapter 26 ~*~*~

 

Everyone was getting ready for Christmas the next time that Harry felt he had more than a moment to pause and think.  News of Harry’s pregnancy had spread like wildfire, but then that’s what happened when you not only learned of your pregnancy in the middle of the library, but then put on a lovely spectacle rushing round talking about it.

 

Reporters had been popping up out of the woodworks (literally, some hid behind shelves and indentations in the walls) and it wasn’t until McGonagall put up some additional wards that Harry and Draco had a moment’s peace.  They’d all agreed that it had to have been Nott or Bulstrode or Zabini who’d done it, most likely on the same day that they’d poisoned Ron with the love potion since Harry had been super-vigiliant with their food after that and the timing just fit a little too perfectly. But unfortunately, they still couldn’t do anything about it.  Conviction in their minds was nowhere near the same thing as proof, and of that they had none.

 

Well, other than the memory of Harry being hit by that damned curse, which he could verify by pensieve, but Harry was reluctant to put that forward.  His friends felt that he was being stubborn and difficult, but he couldn’t see how it would help.  Yes, he could make it clear that one of them (he didn’t know which had actually fired the shot) had hit him with the Feralis Concitatio curse and one or all of them might be dismissed from the school, but there was no guarantee of that.  The Wizengamot was notoriously fickle about using memories as evidence, and even though things were improving under Kingsley’s regime, there were still more than a few old, Pureblood families in high enough ranks within the ministry to put up a stink.

 

But more important, Harry liked knowing that he could point to a specific person and say, ‘yes, I need to keep my eye on that prat’.  He’d rather have the person in front of him where he could watch them than have some unknown take their place.

 

His mind-healer would have a few things to say about Harry’s thought process of late.  Ever since he’d found out he was pregnant, more than a few protective instincts had taken up residency in his mind.  He was becoming more and more paranoid about protection and had requested each of the Professors help put more wards around his and Draco’s rooms.  He never ate anything without checking it first and his wards and alerts were constantly raised.

 

Moody would’ve been proud. 

 

Such was his paranoia that, as he was in the middle of packing his trunk for the Christmas holiday and worrying over a thousand things, when Draco came into their room he actually pulled his wand on him.  He cursed and quickly lowered it, saying, “Sorry Dray I’m-“

 

Draco rolled his eyes as he came forward, his arms overloaded with books as he said, “I’m perfectly content with knowing that you’d shoot first and ask questions later if it were anyone but me coming into our bedroom lover.”  He deposited the books on the end of the bed and pulled Harry into his arms, giving him a gentle kiss which, as all their kisses tended to, turned hungrier within moments.  His fingers slipped into Harry’s hair to pull him closer and his mouth moved with a determination to do nothing more and nothing less than leave Harry absolutely senseless.

 

Harry was _not_ complaining…

 

When the sexy blonde finally pulled back, Harry was standing there with his hair even more wild than normal, his breath coming in fast pants, and an expression on his face that was somewhere between hungry and bemused. 

 

When he finally opened his eyes, it was to see his boyfriend giving him one of his trademark smirks and he managed to pull himself together enough to glower and give him a half-hearted shove as he said, “Need to start sending random hexes at you again every once and awhile.  You’re getting entirely too smug for your own good Dragon.”

 

Draco grinned unrepentantly and said, “Can’t help it.”  He moved forward and pulled Harry back into his arms, letting his hands slide down along his ass to give it a quick squeeze as he purred, “I rather like knowing that I’m the only person who can make the Chosen One forget his own name.”

 

Harry rolled his eyes at him and grumbled, “Please.  I know perfectly well what my name is.”  He tried to maintain his air of haughty dignity despite Draco starting to run his lips slowly down his throat to that spot along his neck and shoulder that sent him wild.  He groaned but went on determinedly, “Even _your_ kisses… Gods you feel good… can’t make me forget that… mmm… squeeze there again… that I’m Parry Hotter.” 

 

His head was thrown back in pleasure at Draco’s hands and lips, which had grown only more determined as he spoke.  It wasn’t until Draco chuckled against his collarbone that he realized what he’d said… then he was glowering and pushing his boyfriend back as he growled, “You are entirely too full of yourself lately Malfoy,” and went back to stuffing things into his trunk.

 

Draco grinned and leaned around him to nip at his ear as he said, “Whatever you say Parry.”  He chuckled when Harry elbowed him and then said more seriously, “Now, are you ready to go?  M’ma is expecting us at noon and she’s rather a stickler for punctuality.”

 

Harry rolled his eyes, “Yes yes, though I still say you should’ve given her _some_ head’s up as to ‘whom’ you’re bringing home with you. Your mother and I have a… rocky history to say the least.”

 

Draco rolled his own eyes at him as he began to shove his books (all on male pregnancy like most of his ‘leisure’ reading had been since they’d found out) into Harry’s trunk. Draco’s, of course, was already perfectly packed in neat, orderly rows with perfect folds and spells along everything.

 

Harry’s looked rather like a cyclone had hit it, not that he particularly cared…

 

Draco, accustomed to this after their time together, merely waved a spell at the trunk to fold the clothes and make some more room before carefully ordering everything inside while he responded, “I told you to stop worrying about that.  Mother will already be predisposed to liking you because of the whole saving my life thing and then standing up for me at my trial to keep me out of Azkaban.  I don’t exactly think you’ve a lot to worry about.”

 

Harry thought that there was rather a big gap between gratitude for those things and being alright with a half-blood shagging her son, but he chose not to mention that.  If he wanted Draco, his Mother was a part of that. He knew from experience that she would do anything, up to and including lying straight in the face of Voldemort himself, in order to protect her son. 

 

He glanced over at Draco’s beautiful face, his blonde locks, growing longer and now sweeping his shoulders when he didn’t pull them into a queue at the back of his neck, sweeping forward to dance around his face… and Harry knew that it didn’t matter how many hoops he had to jump through.  He would _not_ be losing this man…

 

Draco, finally apparently done with re-arranging Harry’s trunk, nodded and pulled it closed before tapping it with his wand to shrink it and stowing it into his pocket.  He glanced up at Harry and then paused, apparently taken aback by his stare, and said, “Hey… everything alright Harry?”

 

Harry jumped at the question and then blushed slightly before running a hand back through his wild locks as he said, “Yeah I…” he hesitated, then just smiled and said, “I just love you Malfoy.”

 

Draco’s handsome face softened slightly and he moved closer, nipping Harry’s lips gently as he said, “I love you too Potter.”  He winked and then pulled on Harry’s hand as he said, “Now come on.  We still have to get past the wards before we can apparate outside the manor.  Ready?”

 

Harry took a deep breath and then accepted Draco’s outstretched hand as he said, “As ready as I’ll ever be I imagine,” before he let Draco lead him out.


	27. Chapter 27

~*~*~ Chapter 27 ~*~*~

 

Arriving outside the manor, Draco smiled when he saw that his mother had done the enchantments over the fence and gates to cover them in garlands and holly.  Even the huge, stylized ‘M’ at the top was wrapped in decoration.  She normally only did that when she was throwing a Christmas party, which he knew that this year she wouldn’t be because he’d requested an intimate gathering. 

 

Which meant that she was doing it to impress the ‘guest’ he’d told her he was bringing. 

 

“Come on lover,” he said, gripping Harry’s hand excitedly before moving forward.  The gates melted beneath his presence, as they always did, and then he moved up to the front doors they recognized him as the Malfoy heir and instantly opened for him. 

 

Accustomed to all of this (and forgetting that the last time that Harry had been here, he’d been drug in by snatchers), he gripped Harry’s hand tighter and pulled his boyfriend inside. He’d _dreamt_ of bringing Harry home like this for so very long and now, _finally_ he was getting to do so! 

 

“Mother!” Draco called when they entered.  “I’m home.”

 

“Well I know that I raised you with better manners than to go shouting like some heathen simply to announce yourself Draco Lucius Malfoy,” a voice said from a nearby room.  Moments later his mother came out of the palour.

 

Oblivious to the way that Harry (who was accustomed to Ron and the other Weasleys announcing themselves in exactly such a way) stopped nervously, he rolled his eyes and said, “And you absolutely love it when I’m so excited to see you that I forget said manners so leave off grousing.”

 

Then he rushed forward and yanked the elegant blonde witch into his arms for a tight hug.

 

Narcissa, who’d grown accustomed to her son being far more formal and withdrawn before his return to Hogwarts, took a moment to return the hug.  She stood there, somewhat stunned at the exuberance of the embrace… then sighed in pleasure and wrapped her arms tight around him in return.  She turned her face into his hair and gave him a tight squeeze as she just clung to him.

 

“Thank the Gods,” she whispered huskily as she held him. 

 

Draco, who was perfectly well aware of how stiff he’d grown, even with his mother, smiled slightly as he gave her one last squeeze before he said softly, “No M’ma… thank _him_.”

 

Then he finally pulled back, pressing a quick kiss to her forehead before he took her arm in gentlemanly fashion and said, “Now, speaking of poor manners, didn’t you teach me to always greet guests immediately upon arrival?”  He shook his head as said to Harry (who’d stopped well away from their reunion), “And she wonders where I get it.”  He winked and then pulled her forward and said, “Now, Mother, please welcome my boyfriend-“

 

“Harry Potter,” Narcissa finished for him.  There was a strange sort of happy purr in her voice as she said the name and he blinked in surprise, then his jaw dropped when she not only broke away from him but moved forward and took hold of Harry by the sides of his face.  He saw his boyfriend stiffen in shock as well but before either of them could respond, she leaned up and pressed a kiss to first one of Harry’s cheeks, then the other, then looked into his eyes and said softly, “At last…” before she enfolded him into a hug.

 

Draco just stood, jaw somewhere around his waist while his boyfriend did the same…


	28. Chapter 28

~*~*~ Chapter 28 ~*~*~

 

Harry hadn’t exactly thought much about the fact that he was returning to a place where he’d watched his best mate get tortured.  It had occurred to him as he came upon those gates with their huge M in a very ‘ain’t hindsight a bitch’ way that Ron and Hermione (especially Hermione) would say was ‘classic Harry’ actually.  Still, he was fairly committed at that point, considering Draco was practically dragging him along.

 

And once inside he’d decided to just go with it and pretend that everything was normal and mind his bloody P’s and Q’s so he didn’t get a repeat tour of that dungeon…  Except that his bloody boyfriend didn’t appear to be on board with that because he was introducing him _as_ his boyfriend and did he _want_ to get him tossed in the dungeon straight out of the gate?!  And yes, at least he could call on Creature…  Assuming of course that the damned Elf didn’t immediately start to genuflect at being in a pureblood house and forget all about Harry straight away and wait was Narcissa Malfoy hugging him?

 

All thought process stopped (which, granted, might not have been a bad thing considering the wandering and somewhat insane nature of said process at the moment) when those thin-but-somehow-incredibly-strong-arms came around him.  He stood there, utterly stiff with shock and fright, as she squeezed him so hard his ribs ached, trying to process exactly what was happening…

 

And then she went and kissed him and he _knew_ he was in a parallel world of some kind…

 

“I… it’s… home… pleasure… lovely… meet… _Dray!”_

 

Thankfully his plea for help apparently got his boyfriend moving, because a moment later Draco was at his side and curling an arm around his waist in support.  He leaned into said arm immediately and took some strength from it, though the fact that said _boyfriend_ wasn’t explaining this wasn’t really helping.  In fact, when he looked over at the gorgeous blonde, he realized that Draco looked just as confused as he was.

 

“I… M’ma, I’ve just introduced you to my boyfriend, Harry Potter…  Both of those things should typically be…” Draco caught Harry’s gaze before looking back at his mother and continuing, “Well at least a… tiny bit of a shock don’t you think?” Draco asked.

 

Narcissa just continued to eye Draco’s arm where it was tight around Harry’s waist… and her face seemed to Harry to have a strange look of utter contentment.  At Draco’s comment, however, she rolled her eyes and waved him off with a grumbled, “Draco dear, I’ve known that you were gay since I found that magazine collection while I was helping Dobby pick up your room.”  Looking Harry up and down, she shook her head and said, “You always did have a type darling.”

 

Now that was just the strangest damned sensation.  His stomach flip-flopped like little elf ears with pain over the reminder of Dobby that he’d been trying desperately to repress.  And at the same time, his cheeks flamed with heat over the implications of that statement.

 

Glancing at Draco, he was pleased to see that his boyfriend was faring no better as his normally-pale countenance could, at the moment, rival Ron’s.  He listened with an inward smirk in Draco’s direction as his boyfriend quickly cut in, saying, “Mother!  That is not what I meant and you know it.”  He pulled at his collar slightly as he said, “I was…” he seemed to recover himself, “I was talking about the fact that I’ve brought home not _only_ Harry Potter, but that said Harry Potter is my boyfriend.” He paused, frowning as he said, “Yet… neither of those things is a surprise to you a’tall…”

 

His frown deepened before he suddenly shouted, “Uncle Sev!  You _promised_ you weren’t spying on me for M’ma!!” in a voice that was so eerily reminiscent of his old ‘My _father_ will hear about this!’ days that Harry took a step back in shock. 

 

A step that became what he would, in later years, insist was _not_ a screech of fear while leaping backward and falling on his arse.  It _wasn’t_.

 

And then the man who deserved a patent on the supercilious raising of that dark brow and slight curl of those thin lips stepped forward…  A patent which stood right alongside the one for the pure amount of snide in his tone as Snape droned, “Eloquent as ever Potter.”

 

Harry rolled his eyes and waved off his boyfriend when he tried to help him up (he wasn’t _that_ bloody pregnant yet) as he stood and grumbled, “Worse than a bloody cat!  How can you be that tall and wear that much cloth and still be a bloody cat!!”

 

Snape opened his mouth on what Harry had no doubt would’ve been a memorably scathing reply, but before he could deliver it Narcissa moved forward and caught hold of his arm and apparently decided to focus on Draco rather than Snape and Harry as she said, “Draco darling… is that any way to speak to your Professor?”

 

Draco didn’t appear to notice the chastisement (or feel the need to defend Harry from Snape, as though he agreed with him or something, _rude_ ) as he growled in that same, spoiled-Prince-tone, “You _promised_ you weren’t spying for M’ma!  You _promised_!”

 

Harry watched as Snape went even deeper back in time than it felt like Draco had as he said snidely, “Mr. Malfoy, if you insist upon acting like a child I will begin to treat you as such. Now, you will lower your tone or I’ll have to take points.”

 

Head snapping back as though he were watching a pair of Keepers defending their hoops, Harry’s eyes went back to his boyfriend as Draco suddenly shifted.  His silver eyes were blazing like lightning as it became clear that he wanted to go dark side tantrum… And then he cursed softly and turned away, muttering, “Sorry Uncle Sev.”

 

Harry’s mouth fell open. 

 

“Potter, if you insist upon acting the fly trap, at least let me gather a few plants that will attract the ones I need for potions ingredients,” Snape barked.

 

Harry’s mouth snapped shut quickly.

 

Draco cursed beneath his breath (though Harry heard it and reminded himself to tease him about it later) but merely said, “Sorry.  That was just… it was important to me that you didn’t tell her things about me. That I could… trust you with things…”

 

Severus hesitated a moment, then his face slid into the expression that Harry suddenly realized he’d come to associate with Snape when he looked at his Godson… poorly concealed pride.  Shifting slightly, Snape said, “I only tell her the good things Dragon.  The things I know you’d like her to hear.”

 

Harry felt his boyfriend shift slightly beside him and saw Draco’s expression shift between annoyance, uncertainty, and finally an unwilling pleasure as he said, “Oh fine.  I suppose I have really wished she knew several times.” Then he grinned and teased, “Old softie, you.”

 

Harry’s eyes widened in shock and he started to back up though waiting for an explosion, when somehow it managed to hit him that, oh yeah!  He was an adult and didn’t just have to stand there like a bloody daft idiot, not understanding what was going on but too afraid to ask!

 

Throwing up his hands he said, “Hold on now!”  He shook his head as he looked between them all and said, “What in the name of Merlin is going on?!”

 

Draco blinked at him for a moment, then shook his head and said, “So tense Potter.  Can’t be good for the baby.  Come on, let’s get some tea.”  Then he began to lead him off as though he hadn’t just announced that Harry was _pregnant_ to Harry’s future _Mother-in-Law_ as though it were no more important than whether they had Darjeeling or Earl Grey.

 

Wait… Mother-in-law… since when was there any talk of _Mother-in-Laws_?!  Just because they were pregnant did not mean that-

 

Draco knocked a bludger right into the path of his thoughts, which were admittedly snapping about faster than a snitch, by saying, “It’s really very simple lover.  You see Professor Snape and my Mother are shagging and so he tells her things about me when they meet up for their dates,” in a conversational tone as they walked.

 

It was an awfully big mansion for all the air to get sucked out of it at once… but it happened…

 

Continuing to drag Harry along since Harry’s legs had gone stiff as boards with shock at that announcement, Draco finished with an oh-so-calm, “They like to think I don’t know.  I thought it best to let them keep their delusions…”

 

Harry saw Draco turn his head to deliver a calm, oh-so-smug sneer in the direction of his mother and Godfather.  Then he serenely pulled Harry into another ridiculously rich-looking room that Harry barely registered in his shock, and shut the door behind them with a firm ‘snick’.


	29. Chapter 29

~*~*~ Chapter 29 ~*~*~

 

Alright… in hindsight… _maybe_ not the best idea to tell his mother that she needn’t have bothered trying to hide her relationship with Sev all these years via snarky remark just for shock value. 

 

In his defense, he’d been more than slightly off his game.  It was just that he’d truly never imagined that Sev would tell his mother things that he’d told him in confidence.  He understood it really; he couldn’t imagine not telling Harry everything now that they were together.  Even a lie of omission was a lie (and wasn’t _that_ just the least Slytherin thought he’d had in ages) and so he did get it.  But still, the knowledge that he could go to Snape and tell him things and never worry that it would go anywhere else had been extremely important to him during his childhood.  When Father was… well, being Father… he could go and let his Godfather talk him down from the crippling anxiety that would nearly paralyze him at the thought of not being good enough.  When things were getting particularly dark at home, he could go to Snape and feel safe again…

 

Still, his mother had always wanted absolutely nothing but the best for him and had been just as much of a safe haven as his Godfather… well when she wasn’t trying to placate Lucius and/or hiding from him. It only made sense that Snape would tell her things about him if he thought it would help.  And so giving in to the theatrical desire to drop a bomb on the pair of them was rather rude and-

 

He cursed at his own inner monologue and rolled his eyes at himself.  Honestly?  Apparently having a Gryffindor boyfriend came with the risk of contamination of ‘noble intentions’.

 

Focusing back on the room in front of him, he took in the scene.  His mother was still pale as a ghost (which, he admitted, wasn’t that far off from either her normal colour or his own) and being led in by Snape. Snape was helping her into a chair and shooting a glower at Draco.  And his Harry was still standing there looking as though someone had just hit him with a Confundus. 

 

He sighed as he called out for Zeemey and asked for a pot of tea and some snacks before moving to a sideboard.  He quickly poured a tumbler of Gin and Dubonnet before moving over to his mother and pressing it into her hand.  “Sorry M’ma,” he said sheepishly.  “Here just… have a sip ok?”

 

Harry called out, “Ah, don’t s’pose you’ve another of those Malfoy?”

 

Draco rolled his eyes and called over his shoulder, “In another 7 months or so.  Until then, you can wait for the tea lover,” before he knelt in front of his mother and said, “I was being a prat, I’m sorry M’ma.  It’s ok, I promise.”

 

Narcissa starred at him for several moments, her eyes dancing over his face, before she finally said quietly, “How long have you known?”

 

Draco considered lying, but finally decided that he’d already let them know, might as well just be honest about it.  “Since the summer between 5thand 6thyear.  The Dark Lord had crucio’d you during a meeting and I came to check on you afterward.  You both must’ve been too upset to set your wards, but at least it was me who found Uncle Sev holding you and not Father.”

 

Severus stiffened slightly at the mention of Lucius and the hand he’d had resting on Narcissa’s shoulder jerked.  Draco glanced up at him and saw an uncertainty on that forbidding countenance that he wasn’t accustomed to seeing.  And without thinking, he reached up and placed his hand over Severus’s on his mother’s shoulder, saying softly, “I was happy.  M’ma deserves better.  She always has.”  He looked into his Godfather’s dark eyes and said honestly, “It took me about two seconds to decide that I was happy my Mother and Father were together, even if it had to be in secret.”

 

Severus’s face went through a wide variety of changes so rapidly that it was hard to keep up with the various emotions there.  Shock and disbelief were perhaps the most pronounced, before Severus finally shifted and said, “I’m not… it’s not that I wouldn’t be happy to be but, you truly are a Malfoy, Dragon.  I’m not-“

 

“Only by blood Uncle Sev. In every way that matters, you are and have always been my Papa,” Draco said honestly.

 

For a moment, it looked like Severus might actually start crying.  Draco truly wasn’t sure how he’d handle it if his Godfather started crying. Then the older man shifted, looking away before muttering, “Indeed,” and clearing his throat.  But he did twist his hand from beneath Draco’s and wrap his long fingers around Draco’s hand, squeezing tight.

 

Narcissa, however, threw herself into his arms bawling.

 

Draco and Severus both cursed and began to fuss over the beautiful blonde to try and calm her.  It wasn’t until they’d managed to convince her to finish off the tumbler of alcohol and had her seated with Severus’s arms around her that Draco managed to remember that, oh yeah, they weren’t alone in the room!

 

Turning, he saw Harry eyeing the alcohol service and shifting from foot to foot.  Rolling his eyes, he stood and moved to his boyfriend, saying, “You definitely spent too much time around Finnegan this summer.  Alcohol is not the cure for all issues.”  Taking the other man’s hand, he pulled him toward the loaded down tea service that the pretty little house elf had brought.  He murmured a quick thank you to her in an automatic gesture and quickly said, “Happy Christmas Zeemey.”

 

The little elf smiled shyly at him and said, “Happy Christmas Master Malfoy.”  She then quickly said she’d go check on dinner and disappeared. He felt a brief pang of regret at the thought of Dobby but pushed it aside.  At least Zeemey had made it through his childhood unscathed… well for the most part.  Unlike Dobby, the little elf had been solely his Mother’s and had been with her since before her marriage, so Lucius had left her alone. 

 

Dobby, on the other hand, had been Draco’s whipping boy.  Most of the time that his father was angry with him (which was often), Dobby had been punished.  That didn’t mean Draco was free of punishment by any stretch, especially once he got older. But still, a good deal of his childhood had been spent in watching Dobby be beaten bloody or be forced to punish himself while Draco watched and was told to ‘think about what he’d done’.

 

He still had nightmares about it…

 

Pushing away the thoughts, he focused on Harry and quickly poured him a cup of tea and grabbed a finger sandwich and a small slice of treacle.  He rolled his eyes when Harry, even in his shocked state, went straight for the treacle and said, “Take a bit of tea and eat the sandwich first. Honestly Potter, our children are going to have the _worst_ sweet teeth thanks to you.”

 

Harry made a face at him before he sighed and accepted the sandwich, taking a rather vicious bite out of it and glaring at Draco as he did so.  He started to speak, seemed to remember that he shouldn’t talk with his mouth full, quickly chewed and swallowed, and then said, “Right so ah… are there any more surprises?  Because honestly, I’ve already died once.  I’m not sure my heart can take much more of this.”

 

Draco rolled his eyes and started to respond, but Narcissa had apparently calmed herself.  She pressed a quick kiss to Severus’s cheek before she stood and said, “Well if there are, they shall wait.  It’s Christmas and we’re here to enjoy time as a,” she glanced at Severus and then at Draco, then her beautiful face softened as she smiled slightly and said, “as a family…”  She smiled sweetly and almost shyly at both of them before the expression disappeared and she nodded, saying, “Right, so let’s get you two squared away. Harry, finish your treacle dear and then we’ll give you a proper tour of the manner.” 

 

Within moments she was bustling them along and talking about how she’d made certain that some space was made in Draco’s closet for Harry’s things and How was he doing with the pregnancy and Were the sneezing potions helpful and Had he had any morning sickness because Severus hadn’t mentioned.  The whirlwind of questions made Draco dizzy but for some reason, Harry seemed to calm the more she spoke.  He relaxed more and more and the death grip he’d had on Draco’s hand ever since Narcissa had spoken began to loosen.

 

And as Draco watched, he felt a sense of pleasure he’d never imagined sweep through him.  Yes, their lives were crazy.  Yes, things were nowhere near ‘settled’.  And yes, life was super-complicated.

 

But it was all going to be alright.  He just knew it…


	30. Chapter 30

~*~*~ Chapter 30 ~*~*~

 

The crystal cracked in Lucius’s hand as he viewed the little tableau happening in his manor.  And it was _his_ manor.  Once his father had died, he had become the head of the household and gained access to all of it’s secrets.  Even his treacherous Black wife had never truly understood exactly how much control that gave him over the manor and the ancient spells and securities that his family had been adding to it over the centuries. He hadn’t bothered to go back there because his business had been best conducted elsewhere.  Not to mention, he hadn’t thought for certain he could trust his wife to keep his escape secret.  She couldn’t be trusted where their son was concerned after all, she’d proven that time and again. 

 

His wife…  He’d never even bothered to check on her to be honest.  She was fairly useless when it came to anything darker.  She’d never even taken the Dark Mark and spent all of her time worrying over the boy and coddling him and, essentially, causing him to be the pathetic creature he was turning out to be.  But she was biddable with a few slaps and a crucio to make sure she remembered her place and so he’d never really given her much thought.  She was simply… there.  His beautiful, pureblood wife.

 

And yet, as he used the crystal and an ancient spell to view the occupants of the manor and witnessed not only his son’s statements, but the resultant scene afterward, he felt his blood run cold in his veins.  Narcissa and Snape?   But… no. He’d befriended Snape.  He’d protected him in school while he’d been there with him because he’d seen the boy’s potential.  He’d gotten him a job in his Father’s potion shop after Hogwarts.  He’d made him his son’s fucking Godfather!!!

 

Not that he wasn’t aware of the fact that Snape was a traitor.  He’d been lauded as a hero after the war when Potter had sung his praises in court cases and to the papers.  He’d been shocked, but he supposed he could understand it.  He _was_ a half-blood and that Mudblood in his veins would out in the end.

 

But to imagine that he’d been so very, _very_ wrong about him.  That the greasy boy he’d taken under his wing could so thoroughly have betrayed him as to sleep with his wife and help poison his son against him?!  He’d never even imagined it. 

 

And Potter.  His grip tightened on the now-broken crystal until it cut into his palm.  Potter in _his_ home and carrying a Malfoy as though he was anywhere near worthy of such an honour?!  His boy, his heir, so concerned and pandering to that pathetic half-blood the world touted as the savior?!  How in the name of the Gods had this happened?!

 

Taking a slow, deep breath, he finally ended the spell that allowed him to see anywhere inside the manor as Narcissa began her tour.  Giving a tour to that… that _filth_ of the Light.  Next thing he knew, there would be Weasleys in his home and Mudbloods and-

 

He growled low in his throat and quickly repaired the crystal before he penned a note and sent an owl out to Nott.  The boy had a few things to answer for… and he _really_ needed to beat something bloody right about now.

 

And while he did, he’d figure out the best way to deal with his traitorous family, his cuckolding friend, and that thrice damned Potter…

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is my first Drarry though I've written a lot of Marauders Era RPG. Hope you like it, more chapters to come :) Kudos and notes welcome but please be kind :)


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